Playing the hits of the 60's & 70's!
Rogue stepped off the elevator platform, half walking, half floating to her room. She could tell she was going to fall in love with flying, but now she chose to walk with two feet firmly on the ground. It felt like she was enjoying the spoils of war, and that felt wrong. Quickly she fed to her room to pack a bag, and then raced down to the garage. Logan was no longer leaving a spare set of keys around for his bike, not that she would have stolen it a second time, but she was getting desperate. The only somewhat inconspicuous vehicle in the garage was Scott's hot rod, her heart pounded in her chest as she contemplated stealing Scott's car. She felt her situation fell under the category of 'extenuating circumstances' again , and got under the dashboard. The car's keys were relatively easy to find, breathing heavily she jumped in, and took off down the long drive. She was on the verge of panic as she came to the end of the driveway, she abruptly stopped so she could look both ways, before tearing down the highway, and as far way from the school as she could manage. As she turned the corner, a dark mass jumps from the top of the tall stone wall surrounding the school, and directly into the car's passenger seat.
"Ah! Scott?!" Rogue screamed, and nearly swerved off the road. Caught. Great.
"Where are you going with my car?" Scott asked calmly. He knew Rogue was going to be a flight risk, and had watched her ever since she had gotten off the elevator.
"Ah'm-Ah'm sorry...but I gotta go Scott! You can't stop me, Ah can't be here right now!" Rogue said frantically.
"You need to come back Rogue, we need you." Slowly Scott reached over, and turned on the headlights of the car, it was still very dark out, but the sun would be out in a few hours.
"Did you see Logan?! Did you see what Ah did?!" Her voice dripping with self-loathing, and fear.
"Logan is fine! By tomorrow afternoon he'll be just as he was, you know that." Scott reassured her, either he was going to get her back home, or he would follow her until he got her back home. There was no way he was taking no for an answer, and he would pull out every stop if he had to, to drag her back.
"That's not the point! Anyone else would have died! Ah would'a been just as happy ta see any o'you when Ah woke up! Ah would'a hugged you if you were standin' where Logan was. If it was anyone but Logan, Ah could've paralyzed someone! Killed someone! Ah'm no good ta you guys right now." Rogue was breathless, and on the brink of tears. "So, Ah'm gonna pull over, yer gonna get out, n'yer gonna let me go!"
"No I'm not, Rogue, and I know you're scared, but we need you." Scott tried to be as gentle as possible.
"You needed Rogue, not this. Not what Ah am now." She said sadly. She knew she could have flown upward, into the night sky, away from Scott, and the X-men all together, but she still felt that using Danvers' powers would result in Danvers taking control again. That was a risk she wasn't willing to take.
"And what are you?" Scott asked frankly.
"Something that could hurt, or kill anyone o'you at any time, an' may, or may not care. Now, get out!" Rogue demanded, as she looked for a good place to pull over.
"Wait Rogue, would you do that? I mean, would you really do that?" Scott ask with questioning eyes.
"Not me, Danvers might...its like she's a thick fog in m'head, cloudin' up the person that Ah know Ah am...all ya'all can't trust me like this. Would ya really want me 'round Jean like this?" Rogue took in a deep breath, and fought tears. "Would ya really forgive me if Ah snapped her spine? Ah'm tryin' ta warn you..." Rogue said weakly, why couldn't he understand? She just couldn't handle accidentally hurting someone again, and if Danvers got control, she would purposely hurt someone if she felt threatened. And right now, threatened was one of the only emotions this woman was capable of.
"How do you know Danvers isn't orchestrating this?" Scott shot back. A plan suddenly sprouted in his head, he needed her out in the field, and after Mystique as soon as possible. If getting Rogue out there meant guilting, and scaring her into following his orders, than that's what needed to be done. Not his proudest moment, but being a leader meant getting the job done, and making tough decisions.
"Wh-What?"
"That fog you where talking about, the compulsion to leave. Wake up Rogue! I thought you were smarter than this!"
"Ah don't...What'd ya mean?" Rogue said taken off guard, Scott was stern, and getting angry.
"Here, you have an army of people-friends! Friends, capable of containing Danvers! Physical, and mentally! You're not stupid Rogue! Out there you got no one! No one that can protect you, or that even wants to! We want to! And we can!" Scott made sure to sound as authoritatively sincere as possible, and be truly believed what he said. "The harsh reality is that were mutants, and no one is going to help you, they would kill you, rather than look at you!" Scott certainly couldn't have that; Rogue was even more valuable to the X-men now; with her strength, and flight, once she honed her new abilities the X-men would be even harder to stop. Scott understood the irony of taking advantage of her powers like Mystique, but better in his hands then that lunatic. At least he felt like he would handle her better. Like previously mentioned, not his proudest moment.
"But..What if y'all can't help me?" She felt as through Scott had punched her in the stomach.
"You have a chance with us, on your own, you're screwed. You're weak right now, Rogue. Danvers gets you alone, it'll be easy for her to take control, and the first thing she'll do, is go after Mystique, and take out anyone that gets in her way. You know that 'anyone' will be us." By the look on Rogue's face Scott could see that she hadn't considered that. There was a wounded silence for a moment, and Scott went for it: "That's why you're the only one that can go after Mystique."
"What? Me? Now?" Rogue's pained, defeated voice bothered Scott slightly, but they had bigger problems than feelings of uncertainty. He needed Rogue after Mystique before she got too far.
"Think long and hard about this Rogue. You leave, you're easier to take down on your own, Danvers will take advantage of that. Then she goes after Mystique, and Irene. If we can't stop her in time, consider one or both of your mothers as good as dead. And that will be your fault...Don't leave us." Scott saw the terrified look in Rogue's eyes. The very thought of killing her own mothers physically made it impossible for her to hold her own head up. Scott had counted on this.
"Ah don't want ta hurt anyone..." Rogue sounded so weak, and beaten down, there was a good chance Scott could have talked her into anything at this point. She couldn't help but think about Irene's face and herself, as Danvers, causing harm to the woman that loved her, it was too much to bear. Tears welled in her eyes, and spilled down the contours of her soft white cheeks. She pulled the car over, and put her head against the steering wheel. Scott would never admit it, but he was actually counting on using what was left of Rogue's crush on him to push her even further.
"Then put an end to it by going after Mystique. We need to find out who was heading this up, and if we find them, we end this, at least for a while." Scott put an arm around her, and clutched her gloved hand. Rogue, always desperate for any physical contact, turned into Scott's shoulder, and silently cried. Scott held her, he knew he had nearly won her over, now he just needed her to commit to the assignment, and come back to the school.
"If Ah'm really the only one...Ah-Ah'll do it...but what about Danvers?" Rogue whispered, Scott's arm around her actually made her feel safe, and cared about. She wasn't totally sure about going after Mystique so soon, but if Scott had a plan, maybe he knew better. The low tones of the radio playing quietly, lulling her even more deeply in to Scott's arms. He noticed her reaction with the music, and got an idea.
"Then we'll all be there to handle it together. We love you, Rogue." Scott didn't like manipulating Rogue this way, but he couldn't argue with what was effective. She rarely heard her name connected to a 'love you', it was wonderful, it meant acceptance despite her horrible flaws. Even if he wasn't telling the truth, she craved acceptance, and love, as much as she craved control. Scott held her tightly, and again saw her eyes drift toward the radio. He heard the perfect song starting that he would need to seal the deal, he smiled down at her, and turned it up.
~Go on and close the curtains
all we need is candle light
you and me and a bottle of wine
I'll hold you tonight~
"Scott...? C'mon Ah'm not in the mood to joke." Rogue, still crying looked up at him, with sad, questioning eyes. Was he really singing to her?
~...So take this wine and drink with me, and let's delay our misery~
~Save tonight
And fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
Tomorrow I'll be gone~
"Stop it, Scott." Rogue said starting to crack a smile.
~There's a log in the fire, and burns like me for you.~ Scott sang romantically, and theatrically pointed at her, putting some real feeling into it. Rogue couldn't help but smile, he looked so silly.
"What would Jean say?" Rogue said with a small smile, and wiping away a tear.
~...It ain't easy to say goodbye
Darling please don't start to cry
'Cause girl you know I've got to go
Lord I wish it wasn't so~
"Sing with me!" Scott said shaking her a bit and squeezing her hand.
~Save tonight,
and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
'Cause tomorrow I'll be gone~
"Scott, no, you don't have to-" Rogue said, shaking her head, it was a really sweet gesture, but she just felt so hopeless.
~...Girl you know I got to go...~
"Please?" He ask raising his brow, and a little grin on his face. Rogue was touched that he was willing to make a fool of himself just to get her to smile. This wasn't a thing that most people would pass up. She also couldn't deny how good it felt to be held while being romantically/comically serenaded by her former crush. Once Scott stuck out his bottom lip, begging, she crumbled.
"Okay, okay!" She smiled, still fending off tears that refused to stop. Together they sang as Rogue drove back down the long driveway. Scott was singing every sweet lyric directly at her, really playing it up to make her smile, and even laugh.
~Save tonight,
and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
'Cause tomorrow I'll be gone~
They pulled into the garage, and Scott turned off the radio. Once Rogue turned off the engine, everything was silent, Scott watched Rogue wipe away the last of those stubborn tears.
"Okay, if you're still crying, I swear I'll tune into that one 'Flower-power-funky hour' show, and...I'll dance." Scott threatened.
"No! No, that's okay, Ah'm fine now." Rogue laughed. "Jean is so lucky" Rogue though. "He really is such a good guy..."
"Good." Scott smiled, not only relieved that he brought her back to the school, but at the same time got her to agree to go back out after Mystique. Needless to say, he was on quite a power-high right now. "Now I really need you to relax some, and come to me as soon as you can, and I'll give you your assignment."
"Relax? Easier said than done." Rogue said taking a deep breath.
"Well if you could do anything right now, what would it be?" Scott smiled sweetly.
"I really don't know if its me, or Danvers calling the shots, ta be honest...fog." she smiled sadly, and tapped her finger against her temple.
"There's more of you in there, than Danvers. The thing about fog, is that you can eventually see through it, look close. What does Rogue, just Rogue, want to do?"
"Ah want...ta...swim...Ah think... down at the stream."
"Then go swim, that's an order. That, and not saying a word about that whole 'Eagle, Eye, Cherry' thing. "
"Yes, sir." Rogue laughed. Good leader, sure. Good singer? Not so much. Funny though.