Chapter Fourteen
"So, you think Magneto's going to try and kill Sinister?" Asked Cyclopse to the Professor.
"Yes. I took the information from Pyro's mind while he was in the base talking to you. He seemed to have a faint idea that Magneto didn't like the new presidents and would most likely attempt to kill him. The best chance I can see to kill Doctor Essex would be here, in Washington." Answered the Professor.
"What else did you see in that man's mind chuck?" Wolverine asked. All the X-Men looked to him. "That Rogue girl popped up again only in conversation this time. Who is she Professor?" Wolverine questioned.
All eyes turned to the Professor. "Now Logan, she is a lost cause whom has sided with the Brotherhood. From what we've seen of her attacks on us, she already had the making to becoming another of Magneto's soliders."
"Yeah, but we still don't know why she was screaming at us that we should know her and that it was us who abandoned her. Something isn't right here chuck. You must feel it. Somethings off with the Rogue." Wolverine said.
"The girl has the power to absorb people's mind, thoughts, memories and, if mutant, our powers. The girl must have absorbed too many people and became confused as to who we were."
"If she was a troubled mutant Professor, then why didn't you take her in? Help her like your helping the rest of this school handle their powers?"
"Because Logan I don't think there is anything I can do to help her with her powers. The mind is a very complex thing and with all those thoughts and memories that are not hers it would be hard for her to even realise who she is, even if all of the memories were removed. And there is the point that she also ran away from us." Finished the Professor.
"They after we attacked her." Iceman said, looking down to the floor with a cold expression on his face.
"You did what you thought was right at the time and you protected our students." Replied the Professor.
"But we've also neglected a mutant who could have done with our help before the stinkin' Brotherhood got a hold of her. Didn't you ever think to try and reach out to her mentally to calm her down and help her?" Logan argued a point.
"Her mind was, is, very complex Logan. I did not pick up on her true thoughts as easily as I did from understanding her motives when I entered Pyro's mind. Besides, it's too late to help her now. We best move on off of her and think of how we can prevent another future presidents death." Said the Professor.
Wolverine glared at the Professor before turning around and leaving the room. There was something about that girl, right from the start, that had him feeling weird. Gving him a weird feeling like a part of his past was facing him again, but he just couldnt remember it or understand it. Logan didn't believe that the Professor was being sinsere in his attempt to reach out for the girl either. That made him more curious and pissed off at the Professor and Rogue.
Wolverine had made it to the garage and was climbing onto Cyclopse's bike.
"Logan." Said a soft voice, though it was loud and alterive. He'd reconise that voice anywhere. He stopped the engine and turned around to face Jean. "Where are you going?"
"Don't know. For a drive."
"Your upset about that Rogue girl, why?"
Logan looked forwards. "Truthfully Jean, I think it's because I know her from somewhere. Feel that there's something not quiet right here. Have you looked into her mind?"
Jean shuck her head, no. Wolverine seemed more disapointed. He pulled the helmet on.
"What crazy thing are you going to do now Logan?"
"You'll just have to wait and see." Said Wolverine before he rebbed up the bike and left the mansion.
XXXXX
The closer Rogue got to being nearer to Sinister the more she felt watched. The more she felt trapped. The more she felt painiced. Rogue was scared. More scared than when Sinister's Nasty Boys had dragged up all her fears and jumped her and then she had been terrified. Rogue was scared about what that man had done to her and what he could do to her.
But Rogue consentrated on her anger. She used that to push her forwards and she pictured the moment when she would see Sinister's body lay lifeless on the floor with blood oozing out of him. Then she knew he'd really be dead. Then she knew the nightmares would die with him. Then she'd know he'd no longer be able to hurt her or hunt her down. He'd be gone from her life and she could possibly stop running and try to have somewhat of a normal life. She doubted she ever would ever since she had became a mutant and she defently doubted things would be normal after trying to live with the X-Men's dreams of fitting in normally. Maybe, if he would let her, she could join Magneto again and try and fight for mutant acceptance.
She doubted it. But she could always keep tabs on what was going on for mutant rights and then try to help out as much as possible. Rogue wasn't sure what her future held, but she just wanted it to be one where she didn't have to live in fear.
Rogue stopped off in a small town and rented out a room to stay in for the night. She was tired after using Magneto's powers. She fell asleep straight away. Only to be woken up by not her nightmares, but by Magneto's.
Rogue woke up covered in sweat huffing and struggling to breath. Once she had calmed herself down and turned on the side lamp to lighten the room Rogue's thoughts went to some kind of weird twisted thought. She'd actually been somewhat glad that she'd had one of Magneto's nightmares instead of one of her own. It was still bad and scary as hell but it was sorta... nice knowing that she was going through it with Magneto. It made things a little better and a little easier. Besides, Magneto was strong. Stronger than her in so many ways. The mind was one of them. And though what he went through and seen and felt were really bad, he was still strong and tried to be fearless. It was kinda comforting and made her thing of how much easier things would be if she could have Magneto's mind with her always. Always there with her to see her through every little bad patch. But that couldn't and wouldn't happen.
Rogue locked away all her psychs that were loose in her head and opinionating on her thoughts and then tried to sleep again. Rogue found, that clearing her head that night, was easier due to Magneto's strong persona helping to push them back and willingly leaving Rogue to her own thoughts. Rogue had noticed that his whole approach and oppinions had changed towards her. Though she didn't dive into his thoughts to know what he was thinking. She was felling rather guilty already for taking advantage of him like she did. But then again, he was proud of her for it.
Rogue fell asleep again, only to be awoken by a three cold tips touching her neck. Rogue's eyes snapped open and she was alter to everything. Straight away she turned from relaxed to defence, ready to attack. When she spoon her arm around to hit whoever had grabbed her, her arm was caught and stopped. Rogue's eyes widened as she looked up at the Wolverine.
"Hey kid. No need to fight. I'm here for answers. Now you can neither answer them like a good girl, or someone's gonna get hurt and it aint gonna be me." The Wolverine pulled Rogue over onto her back and Rogue felt his knee keeping one both her legs. He still had one arm pinned, and he was very aware of the other. Rogue was trapped."Start talking?"
Rogue looked from his arm to his eyes. Angry Wolverine was up front. "What do ya wanna know?" Rogue asked a little scared, but trying not to show it.
"Answers. Who are you?" He asked.
Rogue raised her eyebrow. "How'm I suppose to answer that without losing ma head? I've already told you who I was once before and you almost killed me."
"I want to hear your story. From the beginning. No tricks. I'll know if your lieing."
"If you know when I'm lieing then why didn't you believe me when I told you who I really was?"
"Because you attacked us first."
"You refused to give me a chance. I had to get your attention somehow. Plus y'all really pissed me off!"
"Yeah, well that's life sweet heart. Life's full of shit, now I wanna hear your story from the top. You've got five seconds."
"So you really wanna hear my story do you? After a years past?"
"Four seconds."
"I can sum it up in one second."
"Three seconds."
"I was a mutant at Xaveir's school. I was woken up one night by you, told to pack a bag and when I got downstairs the Professor kicked me out and wiped everyone's memory of me."
"Why would he do that?"
"Believe me I've been asking myself that for the past year."
"What did you do to piss him off so much?"
"Nothing."
"I don't believe you."
"No? Well, I've spent the past year wondering the same question. I've wondered what is is I could have done wrong or said wrong. If it was my school work; no I was getting all A's. If it was my field work as an X-Man; possibly yet there's mutants passed who've never joined the X-Men. If I was a danger to people; yes, but every mutant is dangerous. I even asked if it was 'cause I'm from the south, but no, he has other southern students. Even international. He wasn't being rasict. I asked if it was because of what happened with Magneto, but I doubt that would be it. If it was then he wouldn't want the same sinario happening all over again and would wanna keep me safe and locked up so that Magneto couldn't get his hands on me. I have no idea what else he would kick me out for."
The Wolverine seemed dissapointed. "Really? No money went missing, or no threats were being given?"
"No. I would never take the Professor's money. And I never build anyone. I had a boyfriend, Bobby Drake, and me and his were like the younger Cyclopse and Marvel Girl. How is Jean anyway? She still picking one eye over you?-"
"Shut up!" Wolverine said, digging his claws in deeper so a little bit of blood drew.
Rogue swollowed down a breath. " About what Wolverine? About Jean and Scott being together. Or the fact that she's chose him over you. How about that you've got your heart so set on Jean Grey, yet all she does is flirt with the bad boy, but always go back to her good little two shoes Scotty boy? How does it feel to be played like that Logan? Hurts doesn't it. Just like you hurt me. You have no idea what I've been through. What we've been through. You've lost your memories again. Only this time, you've not lost all the answers yet to a part of your confused, messed up life. Yet, here you are ready to cut my freakin' head off. Well, good luck finding answers after I'm gone 'cause only two other men remember what's happened and both of them are your enimes."
"And your not?" Wolverine said, raising his eye brow.
"I wouldn't be, no. If you'd just given me a chance to explain thing like you want me to now. But even now your threatening me when I would gladly tell you the truth if you wanted to hear it. The question isn't can you trust me. It's can I trust you?"
Wolverine thought of what to do. Looked from his claws then back to Rogue. "No funny stuff or I will hurt you." And Wolverine retracted his claws. Slowly he got up and Rogue sat up with him, rubbing her neck, frowning at the blood on her hand.
"You sure do have a habbit of attacking me in the night." Rogue muttered.
"What?" Wolverine asked.
"Nothing. Right, you want the truth?"
"In detail!"
"Fine, but don't start yelling at me that I'm lieing. You asked for the truth and the truth is your perfect Professor is really an arse." Wolverine raised his eyebrow at this and eyed her. Rogue looked away, then continued with her story. "Basically, I got kicked out of my home when I was fourteen went on the run for nine month and during that time I met you in a bar I'd been dropped off at. You were in a cage fight and some guy who lost to you in a fight came over to you when you were sat drinking a beer. He called you a mutant freak and demanded his money back, but you told his to get lost, only he didn't and he was going to hit you from behind. I screamed at you look out and you did. You showed your claws then left after you got kicked out. I followed you and climbed into the back of your truck. I was hoping to catch a rid of someone in there and you were one of the first one's to leave. Plus you were just like me. A mutant. I hadn't met any other mutant before so I kinda didn't wanna lose you. Only you found me in the back of your truck and kicked me out. You stopped though and let me catch up to you and sit in the front with you. We talked about our mutations and I got to learn that it hurts." Rogue looked at Logan's fists. "Every time they come out." There was a silence and Rogue wondered if those words brought back memories for him. Memories that gave him that strange look on his face. "You...trouble me you wasn't going to hurt me when you went to put my hand on the heater because I was cold." A smirk of irony appeared on Rogue's face. "I told you it was me who was scared of hurting you. I guess you can tell what I told you after that. My powers. Not long after that the truck got hit by a tree that this guy named Sabretooth had cut down and throw at it. I told you you should have been wearing your seat belt but you didn't listen and you went right through the glass. You got up though and healed quickly. But you got knocked out by Sabretooth."
Rogue went quiet. Wolverine felt confused and couldn't remember that those memories existed. But he didn't think she was lieing. If she was then she was a very very convincing liar, just like the X-Men had all believed when she'd started talking about having their memories wiped. "Then what happened?"
"Then the X-Men happened. We were saved and taken back to the mansion. I put in classes and you were hanging around the place because the Professor said he'd help you find your memories. We went through a lot of stuff together. At one point, you sacrifed your own life for mine." Wolverine was taken back by those words. Very taken back. He wouldn't just die for anyone. Rogue looked saddened. "Sabretooth wanted me, but the Professor thought he wanted you so everyone believed him and everyone was looking out for you. One night... There was an axcident." Rogue looked away from him.
"Axcident? What Axcident?"
She looked back. "You were having nightmares about Weapon X again. Experimenting on you. You were locked down in water by metal straps with these lines drawn all over you marking where they were going to pirce the needles and put-"
"I know what they did. But how did you know that? Are you working for them? The people who did this to me?" Wolverine growled.
"No." Rogue said calmly. "It was way before my time. Possibly before I was even born. I don't know. But, when I touch someone I don't just knock them out I take their memories too. I took some of yours and now I wake up with the same nightmares and the same horrible gut feeling you have whenever you have that dream. I feel all the pain you felt and I have to live with the psych of you in my head very day that wonders and questions how he even came to being. I don't have those answers for you Logan. Only the memories that have been stolen from you by the Professor... After you stabbed me Mystique, a shape shifter, sneaked onto campus as Bobby and told me that everyone was scared by me and that the Professor wanted me to leave. So I ran away again." Rogue looked down and away from Logan. "I'd really hurt you after you stabbed me through the chest and I-"
"Wait, I stabbed you?"
"Yeah. I tried waking you up, but you woke up screaming and attacked whoever was closest to you. And I just happened to feel my lungs get ripped by three large wholes in my chest. I couldn't breath and I was dieing fast. I did the only thing I thought I could do to stay alive and that was touch you and absorb your healing abilities."
Wolverine nodded his head. "And you were ashamed you did that?"
Rogue nodded her head. "Well, if I really have sacrifed myself for you in the past and gone to that much trouble with you, I don't think you should be ashamed or worried about that kid."
Rogue turned her head at hearing that. "Say that again."
"What? Kid?"
Rogue smiled. "You used to call me that all the time. I hated that nickname."
"You are a kid." Rogue frowned.
"Not anymore... Anyway, Mystique tricked me into running away and guess what happened next Logan?"
"I went after you?" Wolverine said, not looking quite as if he was aware of what was coming out of his mouth.
Rogue smiled and nodded. "Yes. You came onto the same train as me and let me cry on your shoulder. I told you about the voices in ma head then and how now you'd be apart of them... I know your still there in my head, but I do still miss hearing you as often as I'd like."
Rogue went quiet again, staring off into the distant. "What'd you mean miss me?"
Rogue looked at him, sadness in her eyes. She could never hide herself from Wolverine. Rogue blinked then became hardened again. "Nothing. Anyway, after you convinced me to come back with you to the X-Men and promised to look after me no matter what, Magneto happened."
Wolverine growled. Rogue glared at him. "He's not that bad."
"Ha, you would say that. You following in his shoes now Rogue? Killing the president."
Rogue shuck her head. "We're not the same. We have things in common. A lot of things in common but we're not the same. We both have different view on how to handle-"
"Hand coulda fooled me. Killing the president doesn't seem like something Magneto wouldn't disagree to."
"No, but it had to happen, and the death of the new guy too. That needs to happen and it's going to happen. For the good of mutants everywhere."
"You're going to kill again." Wolverine growled. "You're turning into a ruffless killer Rogue. Just like him. Yet, you still think your nothing like him."
"I didn't say I'm nothing like him-"
"He's molding you into his own personal-"
"He isn't doing anything to me!" Rogue yelled. Wolverine was shocked into silence at the rage and passion from Rogue as she yelled. "I killed the president before I even went back to the Brotherhood! I was planning and going to kill Sinister before I was even freed!" Rogue was up on her feet, her eyes wide and turning red with rage. "That- That monster will be the death of hundreds of thousands of mutants just like the jews when Hitler took control. Millions are going to die and your blood X-Men are going to try and protect him because you don't believe in a little violence. What's one death compared to hundreds living. And that's esaclly what Magneto was thinking when he kidnapped me. He was going to sacrafic me on his machine to turn millions of humans into mutants. Into us. Even if a load of humans dead it would mean mutants would over populate humans and we'd be able to take more control and have more control to make sure that most mutants are ok and not getting abused or experimented on or killed like Sinister will do to his own kind when he takes control! I was terrified and I didn't see or understand what he was doing or why he was doing it at the time, but I was in pain and didn't care. I wanted the agony to stop! And you! You and the X-Men came to my rescue. You saved me and cut me down from that herendus machine. And you did. You set me free... But it was too late. I was dead." Rogue let that settle as she tried to calm down. "I was dead and you brought me back to life.
Wolverine looked questioning and unbelieving. "I touched you."
Rogue nodded her head. "Yeah. You touched me with your bare hand and held me close. Slowly I started to absorb you and your healing powers but the more I absorbed the weaker you got... If I absorb someone for to long I...I kill them."Rogue shrugged her shoulders, but Wolverine could tell there was something sad about them. "You held on and wouldn't let go. When I took your healing powers, the stabs and cuts from the fight you had before started to reappear and you we're starting to died. If I hadn't pushed you off when I did, I could have killed you... I was terrified you were going to die... They let me be in the medlab with you for a little bit just to look me over. But then they kicked me out and Bobby dragged me away so I wouldn't be sat outside the medlab waiting for you to wake up. I would have stayed there all day and night or however long it took if I could." Rogue took a harsh look. "But then you healed, got up and left me behind." Rogue glared at him. "You left me with only a necklace left behind that was a promise you'd come back for me. I gave it you back when you did, but that day was also the night you woke me from my sleep and the Professor kicked me out with no reason or expliantion. I left having my heart broken that the one man who had been there the most for me during my entire life didn't even want me."
Wolverine looked a little worried. "Did we, erm." He said, not meeting Rogue's eye, but when he did he had a raised eyebrow. Rogue shuck her head. Wolverine nodded his. "Look kid, I don't remember any of this happening."
"Of course you don't the Professor wiped away all your memoires of me."
"What proof do you have Rogue?"
"I have the memories missing of me in your life. I have a part of you inside of me and can tell you secrets about yourself that you never tell anyone. I have Magneto, who remembers all this too, who could most likely tell you I'm telling the truth. He had his helmet on when the Professor tried to wipe his memory. I know that it'd also take a very powerful telepath to do what he's done and that he also has cerebro to help him. Why he's done it though I don't know."
Logan's lips twisted. "That ain't really solid evidence kid."
Rogue huffed and looked away in disbelieve. "You don't believe me. Typical." She glared at him. "Why would you take the word of a messed up 'kid' to the all great and might Professor X? If there's nothing else, I want ya to go!"
"I didn't say I didn't believe you-"
"Then what Logan? You can't believe both! It's one or the other. You either believe me and that I was apart of your life but that he got rid of me and those memories you had of me, or you can believe your Professor and believe that I'm really a messed up kid in the head who makes up stories and is dangerous to anyone and everyone I'm around. Then again. Rogue looked away. "He wouldn't be far off there."
"Look kid, I don't know what's going on or who to believe, but... Something tells me to believe you." Rogue looked to him with hope in her eyes.
"You do."
He nodded his head. "I've given you a long time to escape, but you haven't taken them. And not many people could come up with a story like that. Yeah, I believe you kid. I got questions, just like I think you have, but... I'm guess as long as you promise not to go on a pyscopathic rage and kill a load of people then we could find those answers together."Wolverine retracted his claws. "Come on kid. Let's go back to the X-Men and find out what's really going on here. What do you say?"
Rogue was hit with a memory of being on the train and Wolverine getting her to come back. She wanted to say yes and have everything just go back to how it used to be. But she knew that wouldn't happen. Rogue stepped forwards to Wolverine outstreched hand and shuck it. "That would be really nice." Rogue said stil looking down at Wolverine's hand. Then her eyes darted to Wolverine and he was sent flying across the room; pinned against the wall. "But I'm afraid I can't do that sugar. I can't come back and pretend everythings the same. 'Cause it's not. Everythings different Logan. Everything. The stuff back at the manchine, people, me. We're all different and nothing can mend this Logan. Not even you. I'm sorry. But I've gotta do what my life's mission is. And that is to kill Sinister and everything he stands for." Rogue walked over to the struggling Wolverine and gently stroked her finger down his check; absorbing him. "You'll understand when you know who he is and what he's done and what he's planning to do. You'll plan to kill him just like you plan to kill the people who experimented on you. We're both the same Logan. Remember that."
And with that Wolverine passed out.