Warning: Talk of grief, regrets and suicidal thoughts. Takes place after 'Turn of the Rogue' in the Evo-verse.
Logan was leaning against the window in the office of Professor Xavier.
He'd been unable to talk since their return and everyone was on edge. Even when Kitty received assurances that Rogue was back at the Brotherhood, it made no difference to the Canadian's silence.
Meanwhile, Scott was under observation and safe in the Med-bay. He felt guilty that he'd been saved and disheartened because he had felt that they were so close to an impasse. Rogue knew the truth and had it not been for Mystique's interference, she would be at the institute. Of that he was sure of. Instead, she was back with the Brotherhood but unlike before, when she could live in denial of the truth, she could no longer hold any illusions about Mystique. She knew all there was to know and somehow, that was more dangerous than ever.
XxX
As Rogue fell backwards off the ledge, she had no thought to survival. It had been over two years since she'd made that desperate attempt to end her life and if it hadn't been for her mother and Logan, she would not have been able to forge a new persona in life. The name Rogue had initially been imposed on her after a series of events had led her to waking up in a hospital bed, with no idea of who she was and without emotional attachments or the memory of anyone significant in her life. Back then, she'd had to learn to walk again, the nurses had done what they could to revive her memories, but it wasn't until her mother found her that she realised that whilst there was a biological connection, the girl formerly known as Aliyanna was dead. Rogue was here to stay.
Knowing that she would not survive, conversely allowed Rogue to tap into the shifter's abilities and as she felt her arms spread out ready for flight, her body transformed into that of an Eagle. She flapped her wings, caterpaulting herself upwards, claws outstretched to attack her opponent. As Mystique's shrill caw sounded, Rogue dived under the Blackbird, battling the heavy storm, before making her escape. The last thing anyone saw was Mystique following in hot pursuit.
XxX
Upon their return, Storm and Logan had been dispatched once more, but after finding stray drops of blood and feathers, they had no choice to return. Logan would have stayed regardless, but the snow storm was becoming heavier by the minute, making even his senses redundant. He was irritable on his return and locked himself in the Danger Room, until exhaustion struck. The others were warned not to approach him.
XxX
When Rogue woke, it was barely dawn. She was back in her room at the Brotherhood and the most important thing of her agenda, was to escape. Silently, she packed the necessaties before creeping out and hearing no-one, half-ran down the stairs and out of the door.
In hindsight, she would think her escape was too easy and that it was almost expected, but for now the adrenalin was telling her to get as far away as possible. As she drove into town, she heard sirens coming up behind her. She wasn't speeding or driving dangerously. Thinking they were for someone else, she carried on until they were behind her and they motioned for her to pull over.
The officer tapped at her window and peered in. "Licence and registration."
She handed over the documents. "Is there a problem, officer? Ah wasn't speeding and mah car's not due a service."
"Step out of the car please."
"Excuse me?"
"Out."
Tentatively, she undid her belt and opened the door. The dragged her out by the arm, turned her round and she felt her stomach hit the side of the car as they placed handcuffs on her.
"There's a warrant for your arrest. You don't have to say anything but anything you do say will be taken as evidence, should you choose to rely on it in court."
"But what did Ah do?" The was real pain and fright in her voice.
They placed her in the back of their car and refused to speak to her.
XxX
Mystique hated being summoned by anyone, especially Magneto. The man had dispatched his lackey Sabertooth to bring her to the warehouse, and she sat before him, in a chair made entirely out of metal. It was a simple construction and lacking any cushion to soften the feel against her skin. He sat in an equally metallic chair, only this one was more ornate and comfortable.
He'd been silent since her arrival, leaving her to question when the interrogation would start. It was a well-known and favourite intimidation technique of his and one that was working, she hated to admit.
"Where is the girl now?"
"She's in a holding sell in Bayville Jail. She won't be able to escape."
"So you said before."
"I", she broke off. Better to take the verbal assault rather than offer reasons, or excuses.
"I have already invested a great deal of time into this girl. I took your friend's advise, let her take over her care and entrusted you to make sure she would never discover the truth of who the X-Men are."
"I did as you asked."
"Then tell me why she was leaving? Tell me why you failed!"
"There was an altercation between the Summers boy and I..."
The table reverted as his fist landed heavily. The arms of the chair she was sitting on moved and began to wrap themselves around her throat and chest, leaving her hands flailing as the metal pinched deeper.
"You took it on yourself to take on the Summers boy, going expressly against my orders. You sabotaged our scheme and then you let yourself fall victim to the girl. Now she has your memories and abilities. Tell me why I shouldn't kill you now?"
Mystique continued to struggle to breathe, until the metal moved back to its former position.
"There was an unforeseen complication. Before the girl's mother died, she had struck up a friendship with someone who is very close to Xavier. Remove him and we have a chance of bringing her back in line."
"I trust the man you're referring to is Wolverine?"
She nodded.
"Very well, you have one more chance. Fail me again and I will be forced to intervene. Are we clear?"
"Completely."
He waited until she had left the facility, before summoning Sabertooth.
"You know what to do."
XxX
Dear Scarlett,
It's late but Ah cannot sleep. Ah doubt Ah will ever sleep again. Ah thought Ah had already experienced the worse of humanity, when a man, who was four times over the limit, got into his car and chose to drive, knocking into mah mother's car and forcing it off the road, forcing it to crash into a tree, destroying the driver. Mah mother. Ah thought that facing death after learning what a manipulative, psychotic bitch Mystique was would be a reward of sorts for all the pain Ah'd faced. Right before changing into that eagle, Ah felt a great sense of peace. Ah was going home. Back to my mother. Ah would die knowing the truth, all of my scores would be settled.
Instead, mah curse proved true and cut that dream into shreds, leaving me to face another day. Ah never wanted to be the girl that kept making drama. All I wanted was to feel safe and have what everyone else has. Friends, family, the chance of making a good life. Instead Ah got comments, verbal and physical abuse from everyone who claimed to know me. Who once proclaimed to care about meh.
Ah swore that after being reunited with mah mother, things would be different. Ah would be free to be mahself. Ah tried so hard but people had made up their minds to hate me. My very existence offended them. And then, there was Cody. He was such a good person, loved by all who knew him. He could have been happy, instead he chose to love me. And how do Ah repay him? Sticking him in a coma. Ah don't even know if he's still in the hospital. He's as far away from me as ever, which is how it should have been.
Ah'm being punished now. Ah tried to escape and thought Ah had almost gotten away. Ah underestimated her though. Mystique. She probably bribed the police to keep me here all day. She left me alone to fight the panic attacks that wanted to overwhelm me into a breathless, pathetic creature. It would serve her right if Ah did die. At least then she wouldn't have any power over meh. Ah curled up as small as possible, wanting to disappear. Watching the clock tick second by second, stretching to minute after minute...
It was late at night when Raven Darkholme arrived and the officer approached the cell.
"Your mother is here to collect you."
For one brief moment, she forgot that her mother's body lay buried in Codecott's cemetery. The very place where she first tangled with the X-men. There was hope that the past few weeks had been some horrific nightmare and soon, her mother would tell her she was safe again. Then Raven entered the room and she knew it was all for nought. She'd never see her mother again.
Her voice was dispassionate. "That's not my mother."
The officer looked to Raven for clarification.
"I adopted Rogue several weeks ago. I've tried to help but she rejects me at every turn. I'm sorry, I had no idea what else to do? She's not a bad kid, really. Just misunderstood."
Each word was a knife stabbing her in the heart, allowing her blood to flow and leaving her an empty shell. She followed Mystique out of the station and to the car. Back at the house, she pulled out of Mystique's hold.
"Keep your hands off me. Ah can walk by myself."
Lance appeared from the front room.
"You can forget joining the X-men, Rogue. This is your home, now."
There was pure hatred in her eyes as she glared at Mystique. "Home? This isn't a home. It's a house full of kids who you plan to take advantage of."
"Hey, no-one takes advantage of us."
Her eyes were cold when she looked at him, for whilst he had previously been a friend of sorts, now he was lining his place with the enemy. losing any allegiance and respect Rogue may have felt. "Not yet, but one day, she'll be asking you for a return for giving you a place to live. Ah only hope you'll get wise before then."
Mystique intervened. "From now on, Lance will be the one to escort you to and from school."
"But..."
"I'll be keeping your car keys until such a time that I feel you can be trusted. Am I understood?"
"Completely."
Rogue held the tears until she was safely in her room. Once they started, she couldn't stop as the events of the day caught up with her. she barely made it to the bed before she collapsed from hyperventilating and surrendered to the dark void.