Rogue stood with her face towards the sun. She woke up at the crack of dawn, and Logan found that like him, being outside seemed to sooth her. She sat, in a black X-Suit, a massive, green sweatshirt, and one of his leather jackets. Her hands in the dewy grass, her head upturned to the sky. She just listened. Watched. Existed, with nature. It really gave her peace, a grin on her face for the first time in a while.
The feral man as well. It was helping him come to terms with some parts of this. He could not change the past. He couldn't go back and help her better. His memories were probably hidden for a reason, and whatever had transpired there he could not take back. He didn't remember, but as he stared at his gnarled hands he felt he'd broken his no killing streak.
Rogue reached out and touched one of his own with her's. This regression had also seemingly left her without her powers, Logan didn't let the girl out of his sight. On campus, she was usually calm. She only got agitated when Remy was around, heartbreakingly enough. Before this, before Carol, the two had been an item. But now, everything had changed.
"Please, Remy. Reconsider-" Charles begged as he, Ororo, and Jean all stood in front of the institute. "I know things are difficult-"
"Petite get upset ev'rytime she see Remy." He told the man with a grimace, his gloved hands shaking. "Lemme give her peace'n go." He started to turn away, but they kept talking. 'Make it easy for Remy, non?' He thought bitterly. Every time she cried out for Wolverine and ran from him, he thought it couldn't hurt more. But, it did. It was agonizing, he couldn't bare it for a second longer.
"She doesn't want you to go," Ororo pressed. "She doesn't know..." Remy just smiled. That was the worst part. He would hurt if he stayed or if he went.
"Better dis way, non?" The wind blew between all as he prepared to slink away.
"Don't give her something to blame herself for." Jean said, her mouth tugging down at the sides. He dropped his red eyes to the grass.
"Can' bare it, Red." With that he turned and disappeared from sight over the horizon. Charles didn't say a word as Ororo wheeled him back inside. Jean stood outside alone for a while, lost in her thoughts. That's when she sensed it. She flew to the backyard of the school, landing hurriedly next to the gazebo. Logan rose to his feet, but Rogue was too busy watching some birds fly back and forth.
"Red,"
"Something... Someone's coming. Take her-" He didn't need to be told twice. The whole institute was waiting for Mystique to try something. With Rogue so vulnerable, Logan was always on high alert.
"Mutant?" He asked, tugging Rogue to a standing position. She babbled absent-mindedly, not minding the pair's tense mood.
"No, machine." A growl rumbled in his throat.
"S.H.I.E.L.D." He pulled her along towards the school, daring Fury or any other Avenger's asshole to start something with him right now. "I'll get Kitty and Kurt with her in the Danger Room."
"They're already on their way." Jean answered, standing tall as Scott ran beside her. He was still hot about the whole California episode, attacking his unarmed and peaceful teammates, forcing Rogue to battle their entire team on her own had him livid. If they wanted to start a war with the institute, they could. He placed a hand on his glasses as they saw the incoming robot.
Iron Man paused in the sky before descending, his posture noting his defensive mood. Logan stomped out, Ororo, Hank, and Warren at his side as Iron Man approached them all.
"You people," He began, seething. Scott stalked forward, preparing to shoot a blast, but Jean held up a hand, halting him.
"I'd choose your words wisely, Stark." Ororo said. There was a smile on her face, but not in her eyes. Electricity crackled at her fingertips.
"Perhaps we all resolve to deescalate this situation." Hank tried, holding his hands out. He looked around tensely, everyone looked ready to fight. "Tony, I'm sure you can explain?"
"It's been six months, The Avenger cut in, his pointing finger shaking. "Six months. No damn change. Carol's the same-" His voice broke unexpectedly. Logan pushed his way to the front despite protests, his eyes dark. He didn't have a ton of things to say to the Avengers team about what they put Rogue through. He had things he wanted to do to them, though. Things he wanted to do about it. His claws were already out. Jean was preventing them from doing damage.
"Yeah, you came here for blood, Stark? Yer pound of flesh?" Logan sneered, his voice gravelly.
"Logan," Ororo snapped, but he didn't hear her.
"Take out a child who got jumped by a government superhero team in broad daylight? Huh? Still wanna go after her?" Tony was shaking, but he didn't say anything. His friend was in a persistent vegetative state. No amount of science or magic was changing that. The Avengers, the world, the universe lost it's best hero. And he didn't know if he could go on the way he had been.
"That child, wielded the power of a god." He cut in, his shaking. "She took Carol out, just like the books-"
"What books?" Jean asked, the worry on her face. "This is important."
"I..." Tony huffed, exasperated. "I dunno, some mutant diary. Told the future. We used it to bust people-"
"Where did you get it?" She continued, disinterested in what he said.
"I? Fury-" She immediately shook her head. Ororo nodded in understanding, well versed in the craftiness of their foe, Mystique.
"Someone like Fury can barely be accounted for at any given time, can he?" The weather goddess questioned. Logan inhaled sharply.
"'Course not. Nobody ever really knows where he is or what he's doin'." He folded his broad arms. Scott cursed to himself.
"Oh, god damn it. Who has the most gain out of an altercation between Ms. Marvel and Rogue? Mystique. She slipped you those books to manipulate this outcome. That's how Destiny's visions work." Scott seethed, his hatred for the shapeshifter coming out. There had always been bad blood between the two, and there always would be.
"I'm willing to bet she made sure you found those diaries, influencing the odds of her outcome happening." Jean continued grimly. Logan felt rage raise inside him like bile. If they traced this to Mystique she was going to be in a world of hurt, he'd make sure of it.
"She knew, she knew if you guys saw that one of your own was in danger..." Logan's fist clenched tight. 'Damn you, Mystique.'
"That this would happen." Ororo shook her head. "We've all been duped by the same person, Stark."
"I want someone to pay for what happened to my friend. She was a damn hero, in an assisted living home!" Logan grabbed onto the metal arm of the Iron Man suit, wrenching him into the school despite everyone's protests.
"Wolverine!" Scott shouted in exasperation.
"Logan, please-" Jean tried, trailing hopelessly after him.
"No, he wanted to see." He shoved the man in front of the parlor room where Rogue was cowering behind Kurt and Kitty. "We were captured. On Genosha. The guards they were..." Tony just stared for a moment. "This is the result. The guilt behind the accident that happened, the stress of the abuse she's... She's like a child." He told him with a shuddered breath. The mask removed from his suit and Rogue cowered further, whimpering.
He froze in place. "You set them up? Have some friends on Genosha?" Scott accused, his face red. "To get back at them for Ms. Marve-"
"Scott!" Jean interrupted. Tony shook his head, the mask returning.
"No, what? God no, okay. No. And I didn't come here to kill her, either. Incarcerate her, maybe." He tossed a final glance at her. "Forget it. Just, forget I ever came here." Ororo folded her arms.
"You people should stop going rogue." She told him as he walked through the doors. He smirked, but nobody could see as he peeled off into the sky to fly back to headquarters before anybody noticed. Logan wiped a hand over his face, approaching the girl now hiding behind Kitty.
"S'okay, now." He said, softly. "He's gone." He held out a gruff hand and she slowly accepted, staring into his eyes the whole time. "C'mon. It's about time we all eat, anyways."
"Vhat vas that? Vhy did he come here?" Kurt questioned, his tail flicking suspiciously.
"It's handled," Logan answered, his stare distant. "Don't worry."
"But-" Kitty began but he shook his head.
"It's fine, Half-Pint." He sighed, and he knew to back off. Avengers on their doorstep was not normal, but she would take the man's word for it. At least they had fought him off.
"I worry about them." She murmured as they disappeared in the mansion.
"Me too, Kitty." Kurt sighed. "Me too."
"Sure, I could fix her." Remy was supposed to be done with Nathaniel Essex. He had found him young, deep in need when his powers were uncontrollable. Terrifying. Dangerous. Now, he knew better. Had to be better for a certain someone, for the X-Men. He really, couldn't be groveling in his lab. But, he was. That was straight where he went when he left the mansion. He knelt, his eyes staring at the dirt floor. "For a price." The cajun winced, staring through unruly, auburn hair.
"Are ya sure? De profess-"
"Could fix her, too." The white mutant said with a yawn. "He could fix her, but he won't. A holistic telepath..." He chuckled. Remy frowned. 'Das not true... Is it?' Mr. Sinister folded his arms. "It'd be pretty easy in fact, that's all you want?"
"Yes," Remy answered too quickly. "For her t'be normal." A sneer spread over the white mutant's face.
"Use your resources to assemble me the most ruthless, lethal group of assassins. Then..." He clutched his hands together. "We'll talk." Remy swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.
"D'accord."
Genosha
Rogue, or Carol rather, stood on the hill top draped in Logan's torn, uniform shirt and camo pants they had swiped on their way out. Mutants were fleeing in a mass exodus, once her inhibitor collar was removed, liberating had been light work. There was just one problem. Rogue was still Carol. The switch had made Logan uncomfortable, but it'd been necessary. Now, it was time to return her body to it's rightful owner.
"Carol..."
"She took this from me, you know." Their eyes met and sent a chill down his spine. "And, she doesn't even want it." He winced.
"That's not true-"
"She's scared, Logan. What happened there broke her."
"We'll sort it out, here." He insisted firmly. Not Rogue shook her head, but smiled.
"You'll see." Was all she said before dropping to the ground. When her eyes opened again, Logan saw what she meant. Right as the Blackbird landed, he saw her stare more innocent than he'd ever seen the teenager look. Carol had gone back, but whoever was brought forward was not Rogue. As he stared at her, the utter confusion and fear in her eyes, he got the feeling this personality would be at the front for a while.
'My god...'
Jean stood in the doorway of Logan's room, Rogue's nightmare waking her from a sound sleep. He was standing over his bed, a hand placed on her head as she slowly began to relax. "Nightmares," She called, her arms wrapped around her waist. Logan nodded slowly, pulling his hand away from her feverish forehead.
"Has 'em a lot." He grumbled, watching to see if she had anymore.
"She's lucky to have someone like you." Jean told him absentmindedly, remembering when he'd do this for her when she was a child.
"She's like this because of me," He snapped, one of his fists clenching. He dropped his shoulders when she placed a slender hand on his arm. He inhaled, enjoying the scent of cinnamon.
"None of this is your fault, Logan."
"Keep tellin' yourself that, kid." He turned and exited into the hallway.