Dark parked a block away from the Institute. I had to walk a little but that didn't matter. It felt good to stretch my legs after riding. I wondered if Xavier would be able to tell why I was really back. I had made up some nice little sob story about how sorry and stupid I had been. I had a feeling that at least Kitty and Jean would believe it. I walked up to the front door, made sure I looked like hell warmed over and knocked loudly waiting somewhat impatiently for someone to open the door. I had expected one of the new students to open the door, but my heart gave a small leap of surprise when it was Scott I saw. "Rogue?" he asked studying me as if he wasn't sure if I was real. I nodded working on making my eyes cry fake tears, my mascara would smear, but it was add to the desired effect. "Can I come in?" I asked softly, it felt weird to hear my voice, I mean really hear it. Since my time with Dark I had lost my accent, something that had helped make me part of Danger Cult. I sounded like them now. Scott nodded stepping aside. Already Xavier and Jean were at the foot of the stairs ready to ask questions, ready to hear what had happened, why I was back now. I took a deep breath. I had to make sure they didn't think I seemed too eager to talk, make sure my story was traumatic enough for them buy. I didn't need my cover blown on the first day of my mission. "Rogue, why don't you go ahead and put your things in your old room, and take a nice hot shower before coming to my office," Xavier suggested. His kind eyes showed he was ready to believe I was back, I was ready to be one of his little X-Men, that I was ready to rejoin his little family. I felt bad as I darted up the stairs, I was betraying him in doing this. He had been there even when no one else had. He didn't keep his promise, remember that? Remember your little power surge? I asked myself shaking what little loyalty I still felt towards Charles Xavier to the back of my mind. My old room had majorly changed, in my absence Kitty had totally taken over. The walls were now painted a pukey shade of pink that made me want to throw up myself, in fact that's what I ended up doing. I fell to my knees still in the hallway and puked my guts out all over the nice oriental rug. As if that wasn't embarrassing enough, Kitty had of course witnessed the entire thing. "Like, ew," she muttered going back into the room and coming out a few seconds later with a rag for me to clean my face off with. By this point I was really in tears, nothing was going according to my plan. "You okay?" Kitty asked as she helped me to the bathroom so I could clean up. Someone would deal with the mess in the hall later. "I think so," I whispered washing my face with some cold water, my stomach still felt a little weird, but I ignored it. "You really are in bad shape, I thought Jean was just like exaggerating when she like said you looked like you'd been like through hell," Kitty babbled tossing me some clean clothing that looked like it belonged to Jean. I didn't answer and dressed quickly wanting to lay down. Kitty seemed to understand my silence but decided to start filling me in on everything that had happened in the almost six months I had been gone. I managed to tune her out and flopped down on my old bed. There was no sheet or anything, just the mattress, but I didn't care. I closed my eyes. I hated this, I hated the feeling of betrayal in my chest. I squeezed my eyes closed tighter. No! There is no betrayal, he lied to you, just like Mystique lied to you! I told myself, but I didn't believe those words. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I remember was waking up to Kitty's screaming stereo alarm clock. I groaned putting my pillow over my head. "Rogue? You like awake?" "No," I stated sitting up and looking around. I blinked that I wasn't in Dark's bed, that I was back at the Institute. I remembered my mission. I was here to steal, I only had a few days. I would start today. Remy's room first, it had the most valuable stuff, mainly because he couldn't stop stealing if his life depended on it. I managed to make it though breakfast without giving myself away. I still felt pretty icky though, my stomach hurt and several times I thought I was going to throw up. I was lucky because Xavier decided I could have the day to get readjusted to being part of the school. I mentally called him an old fool. I broke into Remy's room after breakfast. He wasn't home, but that was no surprise. He was probably out flirting with some blond airhead. I choked back the bile rising in my throat, but wasn't successful as I threw up all over the floor, my head spinning as I blacked out.
