Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they belong to Marvel…

Chapter 10

Germany

December 1993

Raven and Creed had just left the town of Oberammergau. They had been in Germany for two weeks, going from town to town and covering the vast expanse of the Bavarian Alps in search of Raven's son. Five years ago Raven had been living with a very rich man in the nearby city of Munich, but her dream came to an end when she gave birth to a baby boy in the form of blue demon. Raven and her new born baby were quickly run out of town, angry mobs of local residences and fascinated news reporters chased them deep into these very mountains were Raven was forced to brace the harsh terrain and wonder what to do with herself and the child. After a week of nearly starving and freezing, and getting turned down the need of shelter from the locals in the mountains because of her son's appearance, Raven became desperate. She came across an Abby in the middle of the freezing forest and set her mind to do what she knew would be the hardest moment in her life, give up her son, her first born, her precious blue baby. She made sure to bundle him up tightly from the harsh cold winds and loudly knocked on the ancient wooden doors three times before running back into the thick forest. She watched from her hiding place as a monk opened up the door and looked curiously down at the bundle before him. The monk gave out a loud gasp as he uncovered the babies face and almost dropped the bundle before regaining himself and quickly brought the baby into the Abby shutting the door behind him, and that was the last time Raven had seen her son.

Raven and Creed began their search at that Abby, the monks were leery about giving any information away, however Creed had grown impatient and grabbed the poor monk standing closest to him and threatened to snap the man's neck unless he got answers. The monks quickly opened up about the boy's whereabouts, or at least what they thought were his whereabouts. They said that when the boy was two they adopted him out to a local gypsy woman, Margali Szardos, who was willing to take him and raise him. So Raven and Creed traveled deeper into the mountains in search of this gypsy women who had her son, they finally came across a small cabin advertising cheap fortune telling and figured it must be where she lived, it was, but Raven's son wasn't there and hadn't been for a long time. With Creed's ever exuberant use of violence it didn't take long for Mistress Szardos to tell them what had happened to the young boy. Her fortune telling business wasn't going so well at the time and she had heard rumors of a demon boy living in the local Abby, she figured a mythical presence would bring in curious onlookers and an attractive sense of the Macomb to her place. She was right, the monks adopted the boy out to her and news traveled quickly throughout the mountain towns that the local gypsy housed the rumored demon boy, he was real and everyone went to see him. Then one day a wealthy family named Wagner came to see the demon boy, they were so impressed by the show that the little boy put on that they offered the gypsy woman a large sum of money if they could adopt them from her. Well Mistress Szardos had never seen so many zeroes in her life and didn't give two thoughts about disregarding their offer. Last summer she saw his demon face on the front of the local newspaper, apparently the Wagner's owned a traveling circus and the demon boy, whom they named Kurt, was their headlining act and even at his young age was now the greatest acrobat in all of Germany. She didn't know where they were now but she knew the last stop the circus had was in the town of Oberammergau.

Raven and Creed weren't long in the town of Oberammergau, the circus had been there just three months ago and apparently everyone was still talking about it, they were especially enthusiastic about Kurt Wagner, the flying blue demon, they called him. They eventually came across someone who knew someone who knew someone else whom was close to the Wagner family, and that they spent the winter months at their mountain home in the quaint town of Füssen training for the next season's circus tour.

So now Raven and Creed found themselves driving through the wintery mountains just miles away from the town of Füssen, from Raven's long lost son. She was nervous and she hoped it wasn't showing, Creed would never let that down if he knew. She didn't exactly know what she was going to do when she saw him, but this motherly instinct in her was driving her to see him, to talk to him, to know that he was ok and doing well and was loved by this family who took him in.

When they got into town it didn't take them long to figure out where exactly the famous Wagner family lived, so they got themselves a hotel nearby and came up with a plan. The next day Raven disguised herself as a reporter for the local newspaper, and by herself made her way up to the mansion at the top of the hill that belonged to the Wagner's. When she got to the gate a heavy German accent asked her what her business was, so Raven used her own perfect German to respond.

"I'm here to do an interview for the newspaper, everyone is really curious about how Kurt's winter training is going" She replied into the voice box at the gate.

"I will go ask if Master Kurt is allowed to do an interview Frau…?"

"Fraulein Seltsam" Raven answered without hesitation.

"Fraulein Seltsam, I will be back in just a moment" the faceless voice said back.

"Danke" Raven said politely. As she sat waiting in her rented car she reviewed the interview questions she would be asking Kurt, her son, the greatest acrobat in Germany and only five years old, she couldn't believe it.

"Fraulein Seltsam?"

"Yes, I'm here".

"The Wagner's are willing to let you have an interview with Master Kurt, please come in".

Raven's heart felt like it dropped into her stomach, this was it, in a matter of seconds she would be face to face with her dear son and it almost broke her heart to think that he would have no idea that she was his mother.

She pulled up to the front of the house were a valet was waiting to park her car for her. She handed him the keys and made her way up the stairs to the grand double doors in front of her. The doors opened up for her and there stood a butler waiting to take her to her son.

"Fraulein Seltsam please follow me" He said formally to her.

They made their way down to grand hallways filled with antiques and paintings framed in eloquently carved gold.

He really has done well for himself, Raven thought.

The butler opened up a glossy redwood double door and there in the middle of the room sitting on an antique chair was her son, Kurt.

He was dressed in a nice button up shirt and slacks and was wiggling his thumbs around nervously, he was the most precious thing Raven had seen in all her life.

"Master Wagner this is Fraulein Seltsam, she is her to interview you for the local paper" The butler informed young Kurt.

Kurt stood up and looked at Raven nervously, "Guten tag Fraulein Seltsam", Kurt said with all the manners that a five year old could possess.

"Guten tag Herr Wagner" Raven replied back, barley able to contain the smile on her face.

"Please sit" Kurt said pointing to the seat next to Raven.

"Well thank you" Raven said sitting in the stiff antique chair.

Once Kurt was seated as well Raven began the interview.

"So how do you like the circus life, last summer was your first tour wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was great, everyone is really nice and I had a fun time traveling and hearing the crowds cheer".

"That does sound fun, so how is your winter training going?"

"It's good, my trainers are teaching me all sorts of fun new tricks, next year's show will be much better".

And so it went on like this for an hour, mother and son reunited, except Raven was the only one who really knew how important this moment was. She finished her interview, shook Kurt's hand and made her way back to her car and back to the hotel where Creed was waiting, probably drunk and ready to get the hell out of Germany.

When Raven got back to the hotel she found Creed sitting at the wooden table near the window, cradling a bottle of expensive German schnapps and carving disturbing pictures into the table with his claws.

"Can we go now" He asked gruffly.

"Yes, tomorrow, we can leave tomorrow" Raven said exhaustedly throwing herself onto the bed.

"I'm ready to get the fuck out of this place" Creed complained, taking a large sip out of the bottle.

"Me to" Raven snapped back, she sat up and stole the bottle away from Creed and took a good long swig.

"That bad" Creed questioned, pulling out another full bottle from beneath the table.

"What does it matter to you Creed?"

"No need to be a bitch Raven, was just makin conversation".

"You making conversation? That's rich Creed, really" Raven said with a bitter laugh, taking another long hard drink.

"I'm really this close to slitting that pretty little throat of yours" Creed growled at her.

"You couldn't lay one fucking hand on me Creed and you know it".

"Keep pushing lady and see what happens".

"Push? Oh poor silly kitty cat, push is what I do best" Raven said coldly to him.

And at those words an epic battle unfolded in that hotel room, insults where abound and blood was drawn.. and then the unexpected happened, the fight turned into something intimate and almost feral.

The next morning the pair woke up, naked and covered in each other's blood, bruised and battered and the shock of what they had done showed plainly on their faces.

When Raven got out of the hotel shower she wrapped herself up in a towel, walked over to the mirror, wiped the fog off of the glass and gave herself a long hard look.

How did that happen, what was I thinking, Irene had to have known about this, this must be why she was so mad, what do I do know, this has been the most fucked up trip I've ever been on.

Raven sighed loudly to herself; she would just have to deal with the situation as it came. She quickly got dressed and turned into human form.

When she exited the bathroom Creed was standing by the door, bags at his feet, and a sinister knowing smile on his face.

"Ya ready to go?" he asked

"Let's get the hell out of here" Raven replied, quickly grabbing her bag and leaving the horrid hotel room behind, Creed following behind her.

Three Days Later

Mississippi

"Anna, come here please" Irene called from the kitchen table.

"K" she heard Anna call from the next room where she was reading her guide on auto mechanics. Being at the brotherhood base and watching her teammates fix the broken down cars had interested Anna immensely, learning how to do such things herself had become her side hobby in recent weeks.

Anna loudly ran in to the kitchen where Irene was sitting and came to a halt right in front of her, "What's up Auntie Irene" Anna asked.

"Anna I want you to go up to your room" Irene stated bluntly.

"Why?"

"Because I want to talk to your mother privately when she gets home".

"Oh, is she coming home now?"

"Yes darling, any minute now, so hurry on up to your room ok"

"Ok Auntie Irene" Anna left the room without further argument.

Irene heard Anna run upstairs and then slam her door shut, she got up and made her way to the door to wait for Raven to walk in.

It took only a minute or so for her to hear the jeep pull up in the drive way and then the door open.

Raven was startled by Irene standing right in the doorway and almost gave out an undignified yelp, "Damn it Irene" she yelled out instead.

"We need to talk" Irene said sternly.

"Fuck" Raven said in an exhausted tone.

She knows…. Was the only thought running through Raven's head.

"So I guess I don't have to tell you how my trip to Germany went" Raven said almost defensively, she did feel horribly guilty about what had happened between her Creed and for the pain that Irene must be going through, however Raven's range of outward emotions were usually defensive in tense situations, this was going to be bad.

"No, I know exactly what happened", Irene said in a stone cold manner, "I'm just giving you the opportunity to explain yourself".

Raven gave out a huge sigh, "What is there to explain if you already know everything anyway, look I'm sorry about what happened with Creed ok, it just happened".

"No, not good enough, I need more than that, like why, what possessed you to do it Raven".

"I don't know ok, I was just out of my head at the moment, I can't begin to tell you what possessed me to do that, especially with Creed, I love Irene, I really do and if I could take it back I would" Raven left off lamely.

"Ok" and with that said response Irene started heading up stairs.

"Where are you going Irene?"

"I'll be staying in Anna's room tonight, please don't come in."

"Are you serious?"

"I need time to think Raven, please give me my space tonight."

So Irene disappeared upstairs and left Raven to contemplate her actions by herself, no fight, no declarations, nothing really solved, only the feelings of worry and desperation left to eat away at Raven throughout the long lonely night.

I swear this story is actually focused on Rogue, I just need all these events with other characters to take place, everything circles around in the end… anyways these chapters are gonna be coming out faster, finally got a writing system down and a clear vision of where I want this story to go… and schools almost over which will give me lots of free time… yay!!