Xavier Institute, Oct. Tuesday 1st 4:17 pm

She stared at all of them, her mind creating a crazy plot which involved all of them coming against her. Why did her body feel weird? Wrong? Why did white wisps replace blonde ones? She felt older. Longer. Her skin was paper white as she looked around, her heart hammering in her chest. This was wrong, all wrong. She looked around the sterile room, not recognizing a single thing.

"Tell me what's going on," She demanded breathlessly, staring at them. Scott looked at Jean who was staring at them. She blinked slowly.

"Okay," Jean said. "Can you tell us your name right now?" Both Scott and Logan looked at her in confusion.

"Wha-"

"C-Carol. Where am I?" They blinked in realization.

"She's been unconscious because she was trying to get to the forefront of her mind." Jean explained, her face serious. "Rogue was left too wounded and weak after their encounter so Carol has become her dominant personality." She frowned in concern. "Rogue's dormant right now. That's not good." Logan growled to himself.

"How not good?"

"If she's dormant for too long..." Jean's voice trailed off but it was obvious she would not be able to be brought back. They stared at the hostile young mutant controlling her body.

"Remember who you are, Rogue! You're an X-Man! You're at the institute!" Scott called through cupped hands, gazing at her worriedly. She began to shriek loudly and clutch her head. Jean watched in amazement.

"Scott, I think you triggered Rogue!" She cried. "That's it!" She hunched over in a ball in the air, screaming.

"My head... Stop it..."

"That's it, Carol! Don't fight it!" Jean cried. Tears streaming down her cheeks, Carol roared and flew forward knocking Jean, Scott, and Logan over to the ground. They all struggled to their feet, looking at the holes in the wall she left in her wake.

"Crap," Scott panted, getting up and running after her. Logan cracked his jaw.

"She's strong," He grinned a little at Jean. "I'd rather her beat my ass than be laid up in a hospital bed, though." Jean sighed but still smiled.

"I know." She said, following after Scott and Carol.

'Guys, we need help apprehending Rogue. She's extremely disoriented, the girl she absorbed took control of her body.' Jean explained telepathically to residents of the institute. 'People like Kitty or Kurt who can be evasive or maybe Piotr, who'll be invulnerable...'

'Wow, okay.'

'Coming!'

'Of course.'

'We don't want to hurt her but we need to subdue her until the professor can work his magic. Be careful guys, with her and yourselves.'

'Right.'

They chased after her into the common area, hovering in her nightgown and looking around. Some new recruits had the presence of mind to realize this was not a situation they needed to be in and were sneaking away. Carol was grabbing tufts of her auburn and white hair in confusion and frustration. "Why am I here? Why is this so familiar? What is a 'Danger Room'?" She whimpered to herself. She startled when she realized more strange people were sneaking up on her.

"Rogue..." A blue skinned mutant uttered. "Sis, you're..."

"It okay, we're here." A girl with a ponytail said. She looked at them in confusion.

"Go away!" She cried, flying forward with her fist launched. The blue one disappeared in a puff of smoke and the girl she passed right through, crashing into a wall.

"Kitty!" Scott snapped. "Minimal property damage, please." He said, feeling a headache coming on. She smiled sheepishly. Carol was standing quickly, resembling a cornered animal as more people ushered near.

"Rogue," The hairy guy said worriedly. "We're here." She shook her head, crying out.

"Who is Rogue?!" She screamed, picking up a bookcase. "I'm not-" Jean quickly snatched the bookcase out of her grasp and set it down gently.

"Nice work, Jean." Said Xavier wearily, his hand already on his head. "I'll take it from here."

"Need any help?" She offered but he shook his head.

"Oh no. We just need some time."

'Rogue... Rogue... Can you hear me?' He called out to her. He heard noise. Screaming. Pain. Confusion. Fear. He didn't hear her. That was troubling. He pried deeper despite his every instinct telling him to stop. 'Rogue has to be in here.'

In real life Carol was wailing, her head insurmountable pain. "I can't take it!" She gasped, screaming as Xavier battled with the psyche in her mind.

'Don't fight it child, I'm helping.'

'Professor...' He opened his eyes in shock.

"Rogue!" He cried, gaining everyone's attention.

"What is it, Chuck?!" Logan asked breathlessly.

"I've finally found her."

'Just follow my telepathic voice Rogue, you can do it.'

'She's so strong, professor. And I'm so weak.' He shook his head.

'Nonsense. For overcoming what you do every day you are the strongest student here. Use her strength, the strengths she inevitably gave you to come back. The only reason you lived is because of that invulnerability, Rogue. You can do it.'

Carol screamed, falling to her knees. "I'm scared!" She shouted. "I'm scared!"

Suddenly her voice started to sound more like herself. "I'm scared, professor. Help!" Logan ran forward and she collapsed onto him, exhausted. He looked down at her worriedly, hating the feeling of deja vu. He brushed the hair out of her eyes and gazed at her flushed face.

"She alright now?" He asked tensely. Xavier frowned.

"She won't be out of control again like that, but..."

"But?" Kurt pressed, his eyes shining with concern.

"She likely still has a long way to go dealing with the other psyches, they are going to be agitated for a time to come." Everyone frowned. Her long road was far from over, as usual. Logan ran a hand through his hair.

"Might I make a suggestion?" Xavier rubbed one of his temples.

"Please."

"How long she gonna be out?" Xavier looked at her.

"Probably the rest of the day. Her vitals are all much more stable but her mind is worn out." Logan nodded.

"Let me take her out to the cabin on the border." Everyone stared at him like he'd gone mad. "You said she's gonna need to keep dealing with her powers and psyches, what better way than in the remote wilderness with someone who can heal?" Xavier rubbed his chin pensively.

"Though I am tempted to think you just want to get away," He sent him a knowing look. "That might be the best idea for everybody involved." He turned tiredly to the Rogue sized holes in the mansion. "Yes, perhaps the wilderness will serve her well. Logan nodded, hoisting her up in his arms.

"Half-Pint, pack a light bag for her." She nodded with determination and disappeared upstairs to their room. He looked down at her, his face serious. 'I'm gonna get you through this, kid. I promise.'

Scott frowned and looked around, catching Jean's attention.

"What is it?"

"Where's Gambit?" He said, looking around. She did also find it weird that he was nowhere to be found.

"Interesting," She said, sounding distracted.

Mystique transformed into her true form when she spied Remy lurking in the alley way. "You're killing my phone battery by-" He snatched her violently and pushed her up against the brick wall. He charged a card and held it to her face.

"Explain. Now." She opened up her mouth to complain but he held the card closer to her face.

"Fine. Fine!" She screamed and backed off, panting. She glared at him hatefully.

"Explain what, Gambit."

"You kno-"

"What? Why I made that girl hang on to Rogue?" He was finally silent, staring at her expectantly for an explanation. "There's gotta be something going on between your ears." He began charging the card again. "So she would be stronger!" He threw the card behind him and stared. "You've seen Jean Grey. Mr. Sinister. There are very powerful enemies all around her. When she survives-"

"If," He corrected bitterly.

"When she survives she will be able to outlast us all. I spent a long time looking for someone who's powers were worthy." Remy shook his head in disbelief.

"These are people, chienne." He spat in a rage. "Ya playin' wit dere lives because you fucked yours up!" He screamed. "Y'have no idea what you done." Mystique crossed her arms.

"I know Rogue is in pain," She said, frowning. "But one day you'll be on your knees thanking me for doing it." Remy spat in her direction.

"Never."

Canada Border, Oct. Tuesday 2nd 6:23 am

Rogue's eyes fluttered open and she saw the sky. Cottony looking clouds floated by, the sun just starting to rise. She sat up slowly, her head hurting a little

'Where am I?' She thought in confusion, trying to remember the last twenty four hours. She drew up a massive blank, confusing her. 'Wait. Who am I?' She looked down at herself and saw a dark green hoodie on pale skin. She had on tight pants and boots on. She looked around, blinking.

A camp was made. Evidence that a fire had burned recently beside her. 'Am I here with somebody?' She stood, listening to the sounds of nature. 'Is Mystique here?'

"You're awake." She turned quickly and saw the wild man, standing there like a deer in headlights. Neither one of them moved until she shot to the sky like a rocket. Logan didn't react, he stood there with wood in his hands and just watched.

She flew through the sky, tears falling out of her eyes as the wind made her eyes water. She didn't understand why she wanted to fly, she just did. All the questions, anxieties, and fears faded away as Rogue soared with the clouds. It brought her peace. It made them happy. Them. Them?

'Am I more than one person?' She thought to herself. Who's them? The psyches. Carol. They're all happy and silent when we fly. It suddenly made sense. She was Rogue.

She was Rogue. She could touch people and take their abilities/mutations, memories, and life force. The shadows of those encounters remain in her head forever. They are the 'them'. The flash copies of people she touched in her mind. But she was still Rogue. Whether she absorbed a thousand more people or never touched anyone again, that would never change.

The smoke billowing in the sky signaled her immediately to where camp and Logan were. She descended gracefully, the sight being something Logan wondered if he'd ever get used to. He did his best not to gawk, he knew she was going to have some complicated feelings about the whole ordeal.

"Hey," He said warmly. He could tell when he saw the look of recognition that she was back. Really back. She might have those shadowy moments where she was spooked but she would always be Rogue. She smiled at him with relief, both of them meeting halfway and hugging, tight. Logan choked back an emotion in his throat. "I'm glad you're okay, Marie." She sniffed. 'I was beginning to worry if you ever would be.'

"I didn't worry you by takin' off, did I?" They pulled apart and he shook his head no with a smile.

"Not at all. I figured you'd need to get your bearin's when you woke up." Rogue made a face that reinforced that, settling in a sitting position on a log.

"How long I been out?" Rogue asked distantly after a while. Logan frowned.

"Almost a week. You woke up, but-"

"Carol took over." She finished, looking at her feet. "My mind's got a 'Charles was here' feelin'." Logan nodded somberly as she rubbed her head.

"Yeah. Mansion didn't take too much damage, though." He frowned when she didn't smile. "You wanna talk about it?" She shrugged lamely.

"I dunno." She answered truthfully. "Somethin' tells me we ain't on a retreat." He shot his claws out.

"Nope." He said as he sliced through some wood.

"So I got a lot of time to talk about it, don' I?" Logan shrugged, swinging his hands at more wood.

"If that's what you want." He could tell from the look on her face that she did. Rogue nodded.

"I want to work on my powers, my powers first." She said, a determined look in her eyes. "We'll end on Carol." Logan nodded.

"Sounds good to me, Kid." He wished it didn't take a near death experience but for the first time since she'd absorbed him, Rogue was looking at Logan like she used to.

Xavier Institute, Oct. Tuesday 2nd 10:19 am

Jean smiled and graciously accepted her coffee from her boyfriend as she stared down at her chemistry book. "Thanks so much, Scott." She said as she took a generous swig. He shoved his hands in his pockets.

"No worries," He said, seeming distracted. Jean frowned.

"Scott, Logan and Rogue are fine. You know that, right?" He nodded and grunted in response.

"Yeah, I know." The topic of the stripe haired mutant reminded Jean that she had been in the middle of telling Scott something very important yesterday. He sat in a chair beside her bed and she frowned at him. 'Right.' She thought.

"Scott," She began, setting her pen down. "Remember when we were going to talk yesterday?" This caught his attention finally.

"Oh yeah," He replied, sipping on his own black coffee. "What were you saying?" She smiled at him. Oh how she loved him. She loved Logan too but in a totally different way. Everyday was falling in love with him all over again. She looked into his trusting face and knew he could handle the news.

"Scott, something happened. Something between me and Logan." The words were flowing freely now that he had taken Rogue into the woods to heal and come to terms with what had happened. Her choice of words alarmed the mutant.

"...Between you and Logan?"

"Yes. We kissed." You could've heard a mouse fart in the room as Scott struggled to comprehend what Jean just told him. He blinked, so thankful for once that he had an eye condition that required him to wear sunglasses at all times.

"You... Y-You what?" He tried.

"We kissed. And more, but Scott-"

"And what?"

"Scott, it's not about that!" She said, standing suddenly. She had seemed fine before but now she seemed manic. There was no way she expected to tell the boy (who spent who entire adolescence hopelessly in love with her) she kissed Logan and he be okay with it.

"Jean. What?"

"I told you. I'm Jean Grey." She cupped his head affectionately. "And I am the Phoenix-" He wrenched away from her in disgust, the look on his face betrayed.

"You're telling me you kissed one of our teachers, and it's because you're the Phoenix? As well as Jean Grey?" He repeated, struggling to stay calm. She shook her head no.

"Scott," She frowned, reaching for him again. "You know me better than that. I would never cop out on anything I do." She struggled to explain how she felt which was not worried about this at all. "Scott, now that I know who I am... What I am..." She looked away, struggling with her words. "I was suffering. When the professor separated me from my power, and by proxy, this force."

"I don't understan-"

"I'm not blaming what I did on the Phoenix, or telling you that it was okay. It's that I know, she knows. It knows. Our love transcends even this. I know I'm Jean Grey. Your girlfriend. College student." She simulated a flaming phoenix in her hand. "But I'm simultaneously something that has always existed." She closed her hand and the display disappeared. "I'm sorry. This all made a lot more sense in my head." Jean said after a long period of silence. Scott sighed. Then he sighed again.

Scott knew Jean was going through some complicated things with her powers and her psyche, he had forced the professor to tell him. So while he was shocked, confused, and hurt he couldn't be that surprised. Jean had always dealt with more than she deserved to Logan. Logan was a different story. How could he take advantage of Jean that way? How would he feel if it were the professor and Rogue.

Logan had breached their trust. He was their mentor. Their guardian. He took care of them.

And he'd plucked Jean like a flower. It was a damn good thing he was in Canada right now.

He would try to understand Jean, she had immolated humans. He already knew whatever she was going through wasn't normal.

"No. Thanks for telling me. We decided, especially with your powers," He frowned in discomfort. "I wanna be in the know. Even about stuff like this."

"Please don't be mad. At him, either." He shut his mouth and clenched his jaw. She knew it would be too much to ask but she asked anyways. "I'm sorry, Scott. I know I've lost control a few times recently... And I'm not calling what happened a lapse of control, either." Scott flinched. She grabbed his hand.

"I just hope we'll b-"

Scott sighed. "Yeah. We will. Somehow." He said, looking at her worriedly. Things had apparently spun out of control a long time ago.

Canada Border, Oct. Tuesday 2nd 1:05 pm

"Okay," Logan said, his mind working. "The Sentinels. How did you phase them into the ground like that, it wasn't just Kitty's power, was it?" Rogue thought for a moment. She was wearing a long, dark green hood, white scarf and gloves, and black leggings. Her hair was in a short ponytail and she was staring at Logan intently.

"Well," She said, thinking. "I touched Kitty. And then I touched Jean..." She recalled. Logan nodded, birds squawking around them as the sun beat down.

"Good." He said.

"I focused on Kitty's power and I used Jean's power to force it on them." He folded his arms.

"Okay. Got anything to work out with them?" She looked at him with confusion. "Their psyches, I mean." She nodded.

"Oh. Kitty, nah. Jean-" She cut herself off suddenly. Logan sighed. Jean was gonna be one of the hardest psyches and powers to wrangle, and it was his fault

"Right." He said, getting into a sitting position in the grass. Rogue followed suit. "Think you can recall powers without the tap to jumpstart?" Rogue frowned.

"I dunno. Maybe." She sounded hesitant. Logan looked at her seriously.

"Do you think you're up to conjurin' Jean? Especially with me around..." He asked her quietly. Even Jean could not always seem to control her power, Rogue might not be able to either. Rogue swallowed nervously.

"Ah can try." She said, her accent thick. Logan leaned back, thinking about it.

"Let's try Kitty first," He said. "Start off a little less potentially hostile." Rogue relaxed a little bit.

"Okay."

Rogue stared off the edge of the snowy cliff against better judgement. She had gone on a school field trip with the principal (a.k.a Mystique) and a lot of things had happened since they left the school. Rogue had found out the truth, gained Mystique and Scott's memories, and effectively switched sides. The situation was still dire. Mystique was hunting them relentlessly, Scott had bumped his head, and they were essentially stranded.

"My powers," He moaned, drifting in and out of consciousness. Rogue frowned at him.

"Don't, like, talk. Ya could be dyin' or somethin'." She snapped worriedly, looking around for any sign of help.

"If she comes back... Use my powers and fight her off." He explained, tired from the effort. Rogue blinked.

"You DO know what my powers are, right?" She asked him sarcastically, screaming when she saw Mystique advancing in the form of a wolf. "SHIT." She began tugging frantically on the boy as she got nearer.

"I trust you," He said, his face firm. "You won't hurt me." Rogue blew on her bangs in exasperation. As Mystique got closer she didn't really have a choice.

"Well, thanks for the faith, sugah." Rogue said as she dangled her hand over Scott's face. He moaned for a moment before going slack. She glared at Mystique. "A lil' advice, teach." She snarled, standing protectively in front of Scott. "Don't mess with the Rogue!" She screamed, opening her eyes and shooting a strong optic blast as the shape shifter.

Rogue awoke with a scream, causing Logan to yell and shoot his claws out. It was late. There were many stars out in the cloudless sky. The two had been asleep for a while but a memory had jarred Rogue awake. "Rogue?!"

She shot a red optic blast to the sky before she responded, screaming in surprise. Logan watched in disbelief as she opened her eyes, stormy irises returning. "What happened?" Logan questioned, scrambling to his feet.

Rogue rubbed her head. "I had a dream, no. A memory."

"About Scott?" She nodded.

"It was about the first time I touched him, Logan it's the memories!" She stood frantically. "I've been draggin' up all my psyches and it's way harder." She explained. "I need to think of a memory I connect with enough to call up the power." She paused for a minute and remembered the moment she finally began to trust Scott. Her eyes flashed red and she turned from Logan, firing a blast into the forest.

"Whoa." He said after a while as she looked to him.

"See." He folded his arms.

"So friends are gonna be a cakewalk for ya." His face became somber. "But your enemies..." Rogue's gaze dropped.

"I might get lost in the memory. If that's the case there are some powers I may never control." He frowned, knowing quite a few were going to be painful for her. He sniffed.

"Alright. Good to know."

Xavier Institute, Oct. Tuesday 2nd 5:03 pm

"Vell... I guess I'll let you look at my copy of the quiz." Kurt said reluctantly fishing through one of his binders as he and Kitty headed to the institute's library. She sighed and placed her pencil behind her ear.

"I'll owe you big time, Kurt. I just like, can't get polynomials and it's gonna tank my whole G.P.A." Kitty fussed, her face becoming red. They both froze when a large crowd of new recruits heading towards the elevators. "What are they doing?" Kurt scratched his head.

"Not sure." He smirked, grabbing on to Kitty's arm. "Ve should go see!" Kitty moaned in protest as he tugged her along.

"Kurt, I really have to study!" She cried, as they ended up in the basement heading towards the Danger Room. Kitty cocked an eyebrow as they followed behind Sam, Ray, Jaime, Bobby, Amara, and Jubilee. "What are they in a rush to see?" They could hear explosions and feel rumbles in the Danger Room.

"Someone in there? It can't be." Said Kurt as they ran towards the session in progress. It sounded like a Wolverine course but he wasn't in New York. The gunfire was non-stop, bombs sounding off and the room shaking from the rearranging of the course. It sounded more advanced than the team course ones they ran weekly.

"What psycho is doing this willingly?" Kitty called over the roar of the room. The new recruits were all blocking her way.

"It's Scott!" Amara reported, her mouth hung open in wonder. Kurt and Kitty looked at each other.

"Scott?"

"Scott." Ray filled in, watching as Scott aggressively demolished the course. Kurt and Kitty stared for a moment as he took something out on the Danger Room.

"Okay," Said Kitty. "I've never seen him act like this." Kurt looked around, afraid to ask.

"What... Happened?" The younger mutants looked at each other.

"Dunno." Said Jaime, watching as Scott ripped his visor off and leveled some of the track.

"Piotr said he and Jean talked earlier and then he came in here and started doing that." Scott screamed with the effort of fighting the simulated soldiers. Kitty and Kurt looked at each other.

"He's been in there since like, ten o'clock. We're taking bets." Sam said, watching in awe. Kurt tugged Kitty out of earshot, fuming.

"Katherine. No. No vay. You didn-"

"Didn't what, Kurt?!" She cried, resenting the accusation.

"Did you prod them into talking about this? I thought ve decided! I thought ve vere a team!" Kurt whispered angrily. Kitty crossed her arms.

"I didn't say anything, Kurt. I hadn't thought about it since!" They were both silent as they thought.

"Then... Vhat the hell is going on?" Kitty frowned.

"I have no idea, but I guess we'll find out when Logan and Rogue get home." Kurt twiddled his fingers anxiously.

It turned out once Rogue tapped well enough into her memories she tapped into her friend's abilities smoothly. Once she settled on a concrete memory it was easy, Rogue barely felt a strain. Mixing two recalled abilities was where it got tricky. Nobody was really sure how Rogue's power worked. Could she train it? Build a resistance to exhaustion by practicing? Was the sky the limit? Was she just straining herself? Nobody could really tell.

They were both hopefully and excited when she could call Scott, Kurt, and Kitty's abilities separately while sparring. It became overcast as the day wore on and the temperature dropped ten degrees. Rogue shrugged her hoodie around herself and thought about the many memories housed in her mind.

Logan watched her intently for any signs of exhaustion or lack of control. He had on a signature wife beater and worn jeans, the perfect outfit for such an occasion. He may heal but his clothes didn't, so he owned a lot of the same/similar thing. 'Let's try Avalanche. And ol' bucket head.' She thought to her self, feeling the essences flood her. 'I can use Magneto to extract ore and metal from the rock here.' She focused, gritting her teeth. This was going to be harder because she didn't have strong positive emotions with either of them.

She thought about Lance and one of the many times she touched him was easy to bring up. The ground began to quake. Gently, at first. Then harder. Logan nodded approvingly. 'Brotherhood member, good.' He thought. The ground shook and raised, rocks shooting up all around her. She focused on Magneto. She knew this was going to be more difficult. Her only memories were of them fighting against one another and his own, and his were a hard rabbit hole to go down.

'Focus...' She thought. 'Stay in control.'

One person created 640 grams of ash.

One whole, living, breathing person. Reduced to ash. Hundreds of thousands of different people reduced to the same thing.

His mother told him to be brave. She told him to be strong. This day was coming. He was too young to understand but his parents, they knew. Erik was young. Erik had potential. He could very easily end up on an actual labor camp and outlive this whole thing. His aging parents, however, would not be so lucky. The guards pulled him away from his family and he began screaming.

"Mutter! Mutter bitte nicht!" He wept, clinging to his mother for dear life. The metal fences bent and groaned as the child screamed. "Mutter!" He jumped as somewhere, an unfortunate group of jews was killed via firing squad. He screamed as they through him in a group of huddling young boys.

"Move and you die." One of the guards barked before moving on to someone else.

"NIE. NIE." Rogue gasped suddenly, her eyes glowing yellow. Logan frowned. He'd been expecting this. Rogue shook her head wildly as she struggled not to get lost in Erik's horrific memories. "NIE MOŻESZ MNIE ZABRAĆ, NIE NAZNACZYSZ MNIE!" She shouted in fluent polish, tears washing down her face.

"ROGUE," Logan barked, trying to get her attention as she pulled the metal ore out of the rocks around them. "I'm here!"

"POMÓŻ! MI," Rogue sobbed, gasping as she thrashed, the ores vibrating violently. Logan leapt from his seat across from her, grabbing her quickly before she had the presence of mind to use Magneto's power against him.

"Rogue, focus." He cried, holding her wrists tight. "You're here, with me. Logan." He bit out as he struggled against him. "We're on the border of Canada. About half a day out from New York, not Poland." He urged gently. The ground stopped shaking and the ore dropped to the ground. She blinked, her eyes normal and gray. Logan carefully set her down as she looked around.

"I'm sorry," She mumbled. "I lost it." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We knew those memories would be difficult. Don't beat yourself about it." He heard her stomach growl and looked around. "Maybe I should hunt dinner." He looked down at her, hugging herself. "Wanna stop training for today?" She waited a moment before nodding. He smiled at her. "Slacker."