Disclaimer: Not mine

Author's Note: For those of you who are worried that Rogue is going to be a "perfect mutant", this chapter is for you; I like making characters work for it.

This is SO much fun. As always thank you everyone for reading and for your wonderful reviews, please keep them coming.

Chapter 21

No one look rested as the X-Men, now the only beings in the once lively school, all spirits dark, went about their early morning routine. Breakfast was skipped by most, and included little more than coffee and juice for those who partook in the once all important ritual.

Gambit had been working with Storm and Cyclops since his got his implants turned off, and although he still feared to touch organic matter, he felt more confident about his abilities. He was even starting to charge things before he even touched them, although it gave him a headache and left him feeling a static charge for moments afterwards. All in all, he was improving.

Rogue had watched him from the control room with Kitty and Warren, pleased to see that he was indeed doing well. She hadn't slept all night. The whispering in her head was too loud. They were planning something, the shadows in her mind, of that she was sure, she didn't know what it was, or if it was for good or bad, but she was sure it had something to do with what she was going to do in less than twenty minutes. No one had really spoken to her since the announcement was made, that she was going to take on the terrifying powers of their former teacher and friend. Not that she could blame them, no matter how much she would have liked to try.

Sighing, she left the pair, noting that below in the Danger Room they were finishing the lesson, and walked slowly out into the cold hallway. She didn't expect to see Magneto, held up by Lorna, standing there.

She raised an eyebrow at him, "It worked?"

He held up his hand and the turtle necklace she still wore leapt off her neck and gentle fell into his hand. "Still trying to come out of your shell I hear."

"Who told you?"

"Who didn't? Do you really think you can withstand the power that she wielded? Do you think that you can resist better the powers she was born into? You have never channeled power as great as that."

"I channeled yours and walked away."

"Compared to Jean, my powers are a walk in the park. You will die."

Lip trembling at the words he spoke, knowing them to echo the fears she held in her mind and heart, she took a step forward, bent on setting them both straight. A shaking hand moved to her hair, to where the white sat proudly against the chocolate brown. It had been there ever since Magneto forced his powers upon her, and through her, they tempted the fate of nations. "You and your powers gave me this. I keep it, to remind me of that night, of when I almost died, of when I was your helpless victim. It is here to remind me that I will never be that helpless again, not to you, not to me or my powers, not to anyone. For the first time I think I'm strong enough to see that reminder through. This time, I will either win, or I will die. There is no middle ground."

"You're starting to sound like Wolverine," he said with an approving smile.

"Considering how much I've absorbed him, it's about time he started to wear off."

"Let's hope your bravery isn't a foolish as his."

"Thanks for your support," sarcasm filled her tone as she said watching with a frown as he walked away with Lorna's help. Even with everything done to make the transference easier, he wasn't a young man and he would need time to recuperate from his ordeal.

"I support you," a friendly voice said from behind her, "Even if I think you're foolish for doing it."

She smiled and turned, thankful for the giant and for the safety he offered her as he brought his thick arms around her in a tight embrace. "Thank you Peter; I don't know what I would do without you."

"Pray that neither of us find out." Smiling down at her he placed a hand on her shoulder, "I wish I could be with you for this, but Storm is running us through a session soon. Will you be alright alone?"

"She won't be alone," Emma called from behind the pair. With her stood Gambit and Scott. She raised an eyebrow at the skunk-striped brunette, "Are you coming child, or are we starting without you?"

Rogue looked over her shoulder as she led the way to the med lab, feeling stronger with them near her, "Any luck on finding more who'll fight with us?"

"No," Scott informed her, "We've decided to try another tactic, and are now searching for missing mutants."

"Have any hits?"

"Besides of those we know, Juggernut, and two individuals calling themselves Blob and Avalanche, although I've never heard of them." Scott finished as they entered the lab.

Logan was already there, sitting on one of the exam beds.

"What are you doing here?" Rogue asked as Moira placed a blood pressure cuff around his arm.

His frown grew, "Contributing."

"You don't sound too happy about that."

He caught her eye, not even flinching as Moira inserted the needle; "I'm not Kid. I promised you a long time ago that I would take care of you, this wasn't what I had in mind."

She shrugged, "Maybe its now my turn to return the favour. You can't be the big damned hero all the time Logan, although I know how much you love the glory."

With the sample taken Moira moved to her station and placed the long tube of blood under a scanner. "Logan's healing factor," she explained as they waited, "Is constantly improving and leaving newer and newer antibodies in his system. He's a pharmacologists dream. With an updated sample I hope that Rogue will have the best chance at surviving this." She looked at them, "The problem with blood to blood transfer is the rh factor. Rogue has a negative blood type; both Logan and Jean have positive types. The presence of that singular protein in the positive group is enough to kill people. The mixed factors causes the body to react, rejecting the blood, clots form leads to hemorrhaging and asphyxiation."

"No offense Doc," Rogue said from where she stood, her arms tightly held around herself, "But this ain't what I want to hear right about now."

"Right, sorry." She turned her focus to the rest assembled, "I'm going to ask that you wait outside, at least until I get her ready for the injection."

She waited until they had left before gesturing to Rogue to lie down.

Putting on a second pair of gloves she set to work adding sensors and getting a base line of Rogue's normal heart rate, brain patterns and blood pressure. She tried to ignore the look that Rogue was giving her. But after a few moments she sighed.

"What is it?"

"Why did you do it?"

"What?"

"This." Rogue gestured to the wires that now stuck to her, "A couple days ago you hated that I used my powers so readily, now you're helping me take on the powers of one of the strongest mutants the world has ever known. Why?"

"I have spent my entire adult life helping Charles' cause. Helping mutants find control and peace in their lives."

"And I gave up."

"Yes, and then you were given a second chance, a chance to gain control, to master your abilities. Instead, you abused them and you started to steal the powers of others."

"You should check my files again then. Control was something I probably would never obtain, second chance or not. Besides, right or wrong, what I did is no more wrong than you testing me yesterday without my knowledge." She caught Moira's eye again before looking away and shrugging. "I know that I got carried away, but for the first time in my life, I'm actually useful."

Moira nodded, "Very much so."

"So tell me, if it had been anyone but your son taken, would you be doing this now? Increasing my powers?"

"Honestly, no. If you didn't feel so guilty for giving up your powers in the first place, would you be here?"

"No."

Moira smiled at her, "Well then, I think we have reached an understanding." She turned towards the glass, "You can come in now."

The others entered as Moira retrieved the vile of blood from under the scanner.

Emma stood by her head, "If you will let me, I would like to try to sooth any pain you may feel during this."

"Recalling what you did to Warren, I'm hesitant, but alright." It was then something past the glass partition caught her eye. It was Warren. "What's he doing here?"

Scott smiled, "He wants to help, just in the case something goes wrong."

She swallowed hard, realizing that everyone was taking her possible death more seriously than she was. That seriousness was catching up with her then as Moira and Emma worked to secure her arms in place. "Sweet."

She felt and hand close around hers. She looked up into glowing red eyes, "Don't worry Chere, you're not alone."

Moira stepped forward and inflating the blood pressure cuff, started to clean the vein which was growing exposed.

"I'm not going to lie to you Rogue; this is going to hurt like a bitch."

Rogue closed her eye as the adamantium needle punctured the skin. The last thing she remembered was the feeling of stinging as the needle was withdrawn, then the world exploding red around her in pain as the clashing blood types met, that started in her chest and flashing outward.

So this, she thought, was what dying REALLY felt like.

Emma closed her eyes, her hand floating just above Rogue's head, trying to edge her way past the psychic inhibitor. She could just reach the surface of her mind, but that would be enough. She could feel them, looking at her, the corners growing fuller, for the moment all silent. She didn't think that they would be that solid, that real. Amidst them stood Rogue, like the rest in watching the intruder. The Rogue she saw wasn't the one that the outside world saw, no, this one was the Rogue that was still part Marie, that was still scared and unsure of herself. Emma was impressed, Rogue had hidden her well.

She inhaled deeply as she placed over them all, every shadow in every corner and Rogue herself, a veil, shining white, to protect them from what was about to come. Emma just hoped that it was enough to last.

Outside of herself she was aware that the needle was entering, and she held her breath, waiting for what the murmurs around her knew was coming next. She paused a moment, and listened, and as the fire erupted around her, she was scared.

"AHHHH!!" Emma fell backwards, screaming in time with Rogue, who was fighting against her restraints on the bed, sensors around her blaring.

Logan had caught her, "What happened?"

Breathing heavily, she looked around, feeling more disheveled than she would have ever thought possible from a mind as young as Rogue's, "Her mind…"

Scott and Remy exchanged worried looks. "What about it?" Scott asked as Remy took a step closer to Rogue.

"So many angry voices… they forced me out. They…"

"They what?"

An eerie calm overcame her as she recalled what happened seconds before she was kicked out. "They split her—her consciousness—in two."

"How is that possible?" Logan growled, his claws itching to release themselves.

Emma shook her head, "I don't know. We're all in there, so many of us. I did it. I could feel her, the me in her mind, grabbing at my power and manipulating it. She split Rogue in two."

"Why?" Gambit asked, not looking away from Rogue.

Emma closed her eyes, "She said that it was for Rogue's own good." She shook her head, "I don't know what that means."

They were then struck by something strange, something odd when compared to the various beeping at variously fast rates that had been the background during this exchange. In that moment, the beeping was gone and was replaced by one steady tone.

All eyes went to Moira, whose head hung in defeat, "She's dead."

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Muhahahaha… I know, worse place ever to leave it, but it would be a long chapter otherwise.