Author's Notes: Well. Here we are again. I apologize for the delay, as I'm sure you know, but good news - the semester has ended! No more classes! Just lots of free time, waiting to be used up by writing! Any other news from me...well, you may have noticed the story summary has changed slightly...I figured it needed to apply to the story a little more! Anyways...I think this chapter will please a lot of people (Logan's in it!!!) but it's got quite the ending, so be warned! Until next time, please enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men.
To Hold You Close
Chapter Twenty-One
The morning was stretching on for forever. Rogue faked a yawn as she glanced towards Wanda. The smaller girl was sitting still, staring at her uneaten cereal. Pietro too, was sitting quietly, though he was eating. The silence was making Rogue even more uneasy than she thought she would be.
"Things are going to have to change soon," Wanda murmured, more to herself than anyone else at the table. Rogue forced herself not to react, trying desperately to keep her full attention on her toast. Wanda couldn't know that Mystique and she were planning on escaping with Alex, could she? The impossibilities of this place seemed to become possibilities the longer she was here, and Rogue was starting to pay more attention to body language than the spoken language. Much more was said that way.
"Stop being ominous," Pietro mumbled back, and there was silence for the rest of breakfast.
After eating, Rogue demurely followed Wanda and Pietro towards the white exercise room -- no, it was more of a torture room, really. She planned on being on her best behavior. She needed to, she knew, because any suspicions raised could not be afforded. Not if she wanted to get out.
As they entered, Rogue saw Dr. Windsor and Maddie waiting in the middle of the room. She glanced at the redheaded woman uneasily. Dr. Windsor smiled faintly at Rogue's surprised reaction, but Maddie's face remained expressionless.
"Hello, Rogue," the Doctor said, his soft voice threatening to her ears. "We've got a real treat today. I'm very curious to see how you stand up to Madelyne here. She knows of your powers, so to make it fair, I'll let you in on her secret - she's a telekinetic."
"Alright," Rogue said dryly, wondering how on earth she could fare against someone who could control movements. On a whim, remembering Jean, she asked, "Telepath too?"
"Yes," said the Doctor, slight surprise laced in his tone. Rogue shrugged and looked at Maddie.
"This won't take too long," Maddie said; cutting words in a sweet tone.
"I shouldn't think so," Rogue answered back, causing Maddie to look at her suspiciously. Wanda followed the Doctor into the dark-windowed observation room as Pietro stayed in the room, by the doors. Rogue approached Maddie in the middle of the room, where they faced each other silently. Maddie smiled, and Rogue felt a familiar tickle at her mind.
All this time, it was Maddie who had been trying to get inside her mind? Rogue hid her own thoughts behind those already in her mind, and sprang lightly into the air, hovering several feet above ground. Now Maddie frowned and, stretching her arms out for balance, raised herself to be level with Rogue.
"Why're you trying to get inside my mind?" Rogue's couldn't keep her dislike from her voice.
"I'm just doing my job. You can't hide your mind from me for long," Maddie said softly.
"I shouldn't need to hide it at all -- what do you want to know about me? Why do you want to know?"
"You think you're that special? You're just a naïve little girl." Maddie sighed, and threw her arms forward. Rogue felt her body give in to the telekinetic push and she was suddenly tumbling towards the ground. Unable to fight the push, she slammed down with a sickening thud. For a moment there was nothing, and then pain crashed in, filling her entire body. After the stars cleared from her eyes, she saw Maddie still in the air above.
"Unfair," Rogue growled. Anger surged through her, that unknown shadow kicking its way into her mind. Her lip curled in a slight snarl, and Rogue struggled to rise, knocking the pain aside, easier than she had though it would be. She shook her head briefly, then stared up at Maddie, who had crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips in a very Jean-like manner. Rogue leapt into the air again, flying towards the redhead.
Without knowing all of the powers she had absorbed, Rogue figured the only way to fight Maddie was to get her powers of telekinesis. But Maddie wasn't going to make it easy. Time after time, Rogue was simply slammed into the ground, but she refused to give up. Each time she hit the ground, she realized how it didn't seem as painful as it should be. It was bad, sure, but nothing she couldn't get up from. Durability seemed to be a new power.
"Come on," Maddie called down to her as she lay still after the last hit. "Give it up." She meant in more ways than one, because Rogue felt that tickle at her mind again.
"No," Rogue growled, and rose again. Forcing other minds to the forefront of her own, she began to fly a sporadic pattern, attempting to confuse the redhead. Maddie followed it, trying to catch control of Rogue. She was skilled, but she didn't have complete control over her powers, Rogue noticed. As she wove through the air, Rogue spiraled in close. Maddie suddenly lunged for her and seeing her chance, Rogue stretched out and brushed the redhead's hand.
Memories sprang up immediately, but Rogue pushed them back; she had too. Hurriedly, she focused the telekinetic power surging through her, and pushed Maddie away.
From that point on, there was very little Maddie could do.
Rogue was clumsy with the telekinesis, in actuality. Controlling objects was difficult, especially those that moved, which explained why Maddie had had a tough time controlling Rogue once she began to fly about randomly. It was the telepathy that Rogue found to her benefit.
'Give up, Maddie,' she thought. 'You can't do anything to me now.'
'I won't!' came the reply as she let Maddie in. 'And now you've made a mistake!' But Rogue blocked her out again, using the many minds within her own as a cover, made easier by the telepathy she had gained.
'Come on, Maddie. Give up. You can't win against me.' Maddie looked infuriated at her comments, and frustrated that Rogue was now countering her every move with ease. She held still for a moment, and Rogue could see her grinding her teeth.
Rogue held herself in the air, ready to stop all of this. Holding her hands out, she focused as best she could, on holding Maddie in one place. Then she flew towards her, quickly, before she lost control. Maddie's eyes widened as Rogue advanced, but in the instance Rogue's arm shot out to punch the other woman, she lost her telekinetic control. Maddie flew backwards but gave Rogue a huge telekinetic push, causing her to fall back as well. Both hit the ground, and Rogue dimly heard the Doctor telling them it was over and Pietro came running up.
"You impress me," Dr. Windsor said, in his soft voice. "There is great power in you, Rogue. And you handle it well." Rogue refused to look at him, focusing on the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Maddie slumped on a chair. The redhead looked irate and puzzled.
"Beginner's luck," she heard her mumble.
"Oh no, Madelyne," the Doctor said, laughter in his voice. "There's something more. But I think Rogue has had enough for today. I will see you again tomorrow." At his words, Wanda stood up. Rogue followed suit. Maddie's eyes followed her progress as she left the room.
"Back to my room?" Rogue asked as she followed Wanda.
"Sure," the girl shrugged, leading Rogue there. She turned her back on the door upon entering, and began to stretch, hoping for a little relaxation before the afternoon was over. She also wanted to test the new powers she had absorbed. If they lasted as long as other powers had, she might be able to use them tonight.
Lunch was quiet. Pietro was looking at Rogue curiously, and Wanda wasn't saying a word. Rogue finally looked at Pietro directly.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," he shrugged. "Just wondering about your powers."
"That's funny," Rogue said, a thought popping into her mind. "I know about your powers, but I was wondering about Wanda's powers." She turned towards the brunette, who was looking back at her. "I've never seen your powers before. What are they?" Rogue leaned forward, and placed her elbows on the table. As she did so, Wanda's hand waved slightly, and Rogue felt the warmth of her mashed potatoes on her elbow. Pietro snickered.
"Pretty tame," he commented.
"It didn't need to be extreme," Wanda shrugged.
"You're responsible for this?" Rogue lifted her elbow in disgust, reaching for her napkin. "So what, you can play practical jokes? That's nice."
"This was only a small example," Wanda said softly. "I can manipulate probabilities, so to speak. Bad luck is a specialty of mine." She smiled, a little eerily. Rogue finished wiping her elbow and looked at Wanda with new respect. Depending on how strong her powers were, it would definitely not do to be on her bad side.
Rogue asked to be alone for the rest of the afternoon, and Wanda complied. When Mystique came for her to visit Alex, she wasn't certain if she wanted to go or not. It was dangerous she was learning, more so than she wanted to believe.
"A little danger never stopped you before," Mystique told her. Rogue had no argument.
"It was all that was there," Mystique said, handing the small cell phone to Alex after they arrived in his room, "that hadn't been tampered with. Make your call, I've got to get it back. I'm sure they'll want to finish running tests on it, or something."
"Gotcha," Alex answered, taking the phone and rapidly pressing the number in. He'd barely pressed send, and held the phone to his ear when he was suddenly talking. "Hello? Yeah Logan, this is Alex. Yeah I made it. Well I couldn't call because I didn't have my phone and -- what? Oh, yeah, she's here alright. Logan, I don't think that's a good idea -- ok, ok, sheesh! Sorry. Just don't be disappointed, something's wrong with her memory. I don't know! Fine, hold on a second." Alex turned towards Rogue, holding his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone.
"Yeah?" Rogue asked, uncertain she was going to like what he was going to say.
"Logan wants to talk to you. I know you don't remember him, but believe me, you two mean something to each other. Please talk to him, he's not taking no for an answer." Alex held the phone out to her.
She wasn't going to take it, but Rogue felt her arm rising. Obviously there was some hidden command she hadn't given it as it rose and grasped the phone. Her hand was against her too! She brought it to her ear and hesitantly spoke.
"Hello?" Rogue barely recognized her own voice, it came out so soft and whispery.
"Marie!" The rough voice on the other end of the line sounded so overjoyed to hear her voice that Rogue ached inside. She wanted to remember the owner of this voice, this Logan so badly, but her memories just wouldn't show him to her.
"Not many people know me by that name," she said finally, unsure of herself. She heard the man take a deep breath, then release it.
"I didn't believe him," he said, his voice suddenly choked with emotion. "I didn't believe him!" he added more forcefully, causing Rogue to cringe. "You really don't remember me? Marie! You told me your name the very first time we met!"
"I don't remember it," Rogue whispered, her heart feeling as though it were breaking. This man, he must love her, if only she could work out how he knew her. Tears pricked her eyes.
""Dammit," he growled. "You gotta remember! I've been going crazy this week, Storm's threatened to make me sleep outside, says I'm upsetting the students. You gotta remember me, darlin'! I saw those people abduct you last Saturday, and there was nothin' I could do to get to you in time. Marie, you're all I got! Storm's been tellin' me all week we'd find you, but I never thought it'd be that crazy school. We'll get you out, and we'll find a way for you to remember!" His voice was laced with desperation now, and Rogue felt the tears prickling down her cheeks.
"Why?" she asked, her voice little-girl small. "How do I know you? And why do you care about me so much?" There was a pause, and Rogue felt she'd gone too far, but--
"You found me," he said simply. A weariness entered his words. "At a point where I didn't have much, you came along, this kid who needed protectin'. And I did, though not willingly. And you trusted me. After everything we ever went through, you trusted me. I couldn't stay away from you, from that trust. It gave me a purpose, when I didn't have one. And the last few weeks, you saved me again. From the overwhelming grief I had over something that never belonged to me anyway. You still trusted me. And we…well, you need to know, I need you to come back to me, Marie. I love you."
"Logan." After his revelation, Rogue tried his name out, and the tears started to fall. She wanted to calm the man who owned this voice, this tough sounding guy who carried a little boy's fears, and she felt so familiar with it all that it scared her. "I'm trying…you need to know how hard I am trying…but I …don't remember…" Rogue was going to say you, but it seemed cruel. "I want to, so badly."
"Marie, after everything we've been through together…" Panic tinged through Rogue as she heard the anger slide into his voice. "Whatever they've done to you, we'll fix it, don't worry, we'll fix it."
"Time's up," Mystique suddenly said in Rogue's ear, and she looked up, startled out of the world she had just been in. Blinking stupidly at Mystique and Alex, Rogue felt embarrassed, like this were wrong. But it hadn't seemed that way, he had seemed so…right.
"I've got to go, it's almost time," she mumbled into the phone.
"I'll be waiting, Marie," came Logan's voice into her ear once more. Gentleness traced it once more. "Come home to me." Silently, Rogue handed the phone to Alex, who said hello again and turned around, making plans. Mystique stood next to him, making certain things were as she liked them.
"Logan." She breathed the name out to herself, wiping the tear trails off her cheeks. He was familiar, and at the same time, not at all. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine what he looked like, but the angry shadow in her mind kept interrupting.
Plans were set. Mystique would get Rogue, and they'd meet Alex, and finally Scott, as long as he agreed to leave tonight. Then, the four of them would venture outside, and away from the school, where the X-Men should be waiting. It'd have to be off school property, and while Alex warned that the school was not small, all of them assumed it shouldn't take them too long. And then, finally then, they'd be on their way home.
Rogue waited nervously, in her room again. She paced, but then forced herself to sit, wanting to save her energy, should she need it. As she found herself jiggling her leg, she lay back on her bed, closing her eyes. Immediately, the many voices in her mind swarmed her, each trying to gain some control, each trying to tell her what to do. Rogue ignored them all, seeking out one in particular.
Where are you, shadow? she questioned herself, and that angry creature reared up. Blood thirsty and vengeful, it caused her to snarl, and Rogue witnessed its terrifying memories, of faces, and pain, and blood. Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up. To think that she had such a creature in her mind…where had it come from? How on earth had she been able to be close enough to touch it and gain its memories?
She puzzled over this until Wanda appeared to take her to supper.
"So what's the deal with keeping me locked in my room?" Rogue asked, over their chicken cordon bleu. She wasn't usually in the habit of talking during meals, and so both Pietro and Wanda looked at her in surprise.
"What?" Pietro finally asked.
"Between lunch and supper," Rogue explained. Now the siblings exchanged amused glances.
"I take you back to your room because I thought you liked being alone," Wanda explained. "The door hasn't really been locked. You could leave anytime." Her laughing smile angered Rogue.
"I've heard that door lock," she answered back, more snappish than she liked. She struggled to remain calm.
"All the doors sound like that when they close," Pietro commented. "Did you ever actually try to leave?"
"Well…" Rogue didn't want to mention her meetings with Mystique and Alex.
"You'd rather be alone. It's understandable," Wanda said, dismissing the whole subject. She took a bite of her chicken, but cast a sideways glance at Rogue. Rogue was staring at her chicken, fuming silently at her treatment in this place. She couldn't wait to get out. She couldn't wait to leave. More than anything, she wanted to smack Wanda's smug little look off her face.
Pietro chuckled, running a hand through his white hair.
"Well, I am locking the door this time," Wanda smiled. "Night rules you know." After supper, Rogue had joined the siblings in the common room. She wanted to see more of the place, she had insisted, and the siblings merely shrugged. The common room was very unlike what Rogue knew back at the mansion. There it had been a plush place, welcoming, with couches and games. This common room had been a large place, empty save a few chairs. The only entertainment was the mutants practicing their powers on one another, playing a very real, violent variation of the fake games ten-year-olds play.
"Fine," Rogue muttered. She didn't know what to think about this place, about Wanda, about the treatment of the mutants. When she entered her room, and heard the click of the lock, she flopped on her bed, wanting some sleep before the escape. She needed to clear her mind as well.
When she woke, Rogue lay still for a moment. There was a quiet noise at her door, and she concluded it had to be Mystique. In a moment, there was a click, the door opened, and a figure glided across the room.
"Let's hurry," Mystique whispered.
They were silent as they made their way to meet with Alex.
Her heart was pounding so hard, Rogue was certain anyway within ten miles of her could hear it. She stood perfectly still, Alex's arm lightly brushing her covered arm. Mystique was presumably peering around the darkened corner. In a moment she touched their hands lightly, signaling the two to follow her. They tread forward lightly, and turned the corner.
Nothing happened.
The three of them continued padding through the tomb-like atmosphere of the building, through the pitch blackness of the windowless corridors. It was an invisible force that kept them together despite their inabilities to truly see one another. Rogue found she could almost sense their presence, though she figured it was only because she knew they were there.
After what seemed like forever of walking, Mystique paused, holding her arms out, causing the two behind her to run into them. They paused as well, stepping close together to make it easier for her to find them. There was a slight sound, a doorknob being fussed with, and then silence again. Rogue's heart was pounding even harder. After a moment she could sense bodies, and realized Scott was with them. She smiled slightly.
Mystique touched their hands again, and the group went on. Now they all held hands to keep together. Sandwiched between Mystique and Alex, Rogue had to bite her tongue to keep from shouting with laughter. Finally, she was going home! Finally, she was getting out of this insane place!
As the made their slow way, a glint of red was gone so fast Rogue wasn't certain she had even seen it. But the hairs on the back of her neck prickled, and she began to feel her skin crawl. Uneasy, she squeezed both Alex and Mystique's hands, signaling them to pause. Everyone backed up slowly until they felt the smooth surface of the wall at their back. Mystique pulled them all along then. Rogue only assumed they were close to being out of the building for Mystique to press their luck.
The softest of noises, a tiny latch, reached her ears, and Rogue felt Mystique duck down, so she followed suit, Alex behind her. On her hands and knees, Rogue crawled after Mystique through tiny spaces. As they turned corners, light began to filter through, silver and ethereal; it caused Rogue no hope as the prickle she felt began to worsen. They needed to turn back, but she wasn't sure if that would even help at this point. It was probably best to keep going and finish the escape.
A metal gate blocked the way, Rogue could see the outside past it. The apparent full moon was doing it's job well. Mystique produced some sort of tool and within moments the gate was gone and Mystique was crawling out, and suddenly Rogue was face to face with the world. Despite her uneasiness, she crawled out, breathing in the scent of the dirt, before standing and stretching in the moonlight. Alex followed, as did Scott, and then…Maddie?
She hadn't been part of the deal. Anger rose in Rogue - this unknown could jeopardize them! Who knew if Maddie was really trustworthy? Mystique was clearly angry as well, but there wasn't much they could do about it at the moment. Keeping their strict no talk rule, they formed their line and followed Mystique, Maddie behind Rogue and ahead of Scott. They kept to the shadows as much as was possible in the bright night and Rogue had a decent look at the building that had contained her.
It was innocent enough, large-ish and squat-ish, looking like a sort of warehouse with the lack of windows. As Mystique led them away from it, Rogue looked back once and a tremor passed through her entire body. She stopped moving and slowly turned her gaze towards her right, where a lot of brush lay, ugly and unkempt. Her breath caught in her throat, and reached out to get Mystique's attention. The five stared at the sight.
A man was rising from the brush, his dark suit extending around him, obviously fear inspired. He raised his bone white face to them and his red eyes glowed in the moonlit night. A red spot on his forehead glinted ominously. Not a man, this was a monster!
"And where do you think you're going, my little experiments?" came the soft voice. Rogue started as she recognized the voice of Dr. Windsor. "It is much to early for you to leave. I have far too much planed for you." He strode towards them, and the entire group took an involuntary step backwards, into the waiting arms of multiple Jamies. Alex struggled briefly, and suddenly red was reflected everywhere. Rogue struggled to see and realized the eyegear Scott had was knocked off. In the split second before he closed his eyes, Dr. Windsor had flinched.
"Let us go!" Alex bellowed.
"Oh no," and here the Doctor laughed quietly. "You are very valuable, all of you, very valuable indeed. I have such high plans for all of you. But you must be punished for tonight. Children must not run away from home." The two boys, and Maddie, struggled wildly against the constraining muscle that was Jamie, but Rogue and Mystique were silent and cooperative. The game was over. This was way of out their league.
"I work for science," he was telling Rogue thoughtfully, his voice as soft as ever. "It interests me. And you interest me. You are genetically unique. I need to find out everything about you. We've seen what your powers can do. And we have theories about them. But I intend to find out every little secret you are holding."
His back was to her, and her sensors, whatever they were, were going nuts. She had to keep him talking.
"Tell me, Dr. Windsor-" she began, but he whirled with flourish of his frightening coat. The light, bright for once, reflected off his white skin.
"Please," he said. "Let's move our relationship towards the informal side, and have you call me by my real name." He leaned in real close to Rogue, smiling slightly. His red eyes seemed to glow. "Call me Mister Sinister."
Rogue knew she was not in for a pleasant night.