Hey ho! Here I am with more fun times.  Normally, I would save my note for the end of the story but I felt I should warn you of some 'adult' themes in this chapter…If you have an issue with implied sexuality or are under the age of 13…STOP READING NOW!  

Thanks out to Black Tom for making me one of his favourite authors!  

Ish- yep I got it done a lot faster than planned…I mean I have ten stories planned it's just a matter of writing them.  I may have thrown some more Romy-hints your way girl.  And Kitty being the one to know fits in well with my evil plans…Originally it was supposed to be Scott…but I wanted some angst…and Scooter has a role to play in the future and not knowing makes it better for him. 

Two

Sweat rolled down Rogue's neck lodging in her collar uncomfortably, the mental strain of dealing with the psychic residue of Carol Danvers was enormous.  Rogue was beginning to fervently wish that she could just shut the annoying bitch up for good instead of following Bender's calm advice to confront and control the other personality. It was his opinion that if Rogue could control her psyches, it would allow her to tap into their powers long after touching the person.  He also believed it could be the key to Rogue controlling her own powers-so the Goth was sweating it out just in case.  The telepath hadn't been wrong yet.

Finally it was too much for Rogue; they had been working for nearly four hours non-stop.  Rogue's eyes snapped open as she jerked out of her meditative state, "I hate her more every time we do this.  I'll never understand why she thinks I'm the only one to blame for all of this."

"Perhaps it is easier for her to see herself a victim," Bender suggested in his eternally calm voice, "One can not expect rational thought from a mind as fractured as Carol's was.  Have you been practicing with the other psyches?"

Rogue nodded slowly as a concession to the headache she felt building between her eyes, "Yeah, some of them are stronger in my mind…more realistic and all-they're the ones that will come to me when I try it."

"Like Cypher and Gambit?" one of his pale eyebrows rose in question.

"Yep," the Goth frowned at the telepath, "Why don't you ever use their real names?"

He remained silent for a second examining the backs of his delicate hands before finding his voice, "For so long we had our names taken from us. Nadim, Curtis and Jodhi took theirs back as a statement of defiance, Asli has used countless alias' to prevent anyone from connecting her to the Program.  But myself and the others-Brick and Feral there was no choice.  We are no longer the children we were and the names given to us by parents we can't recall mean little to us. Like yourself Rogue.  I use these names to show respect for the past that has shaped every mutant."

She nodded considering what he meant-things had happened to make all of them more than they had been born as; whether that was discovering their mutant power or a darker rebirth like the Program.  Rogue felt a wave of sorrow for their lost innocence, because Bender was absolutely right-there was no going back-they were what they were.  She didn't need to say anything out loud for Bender to know she understood his philosophy so Rogue didn't use them.  Sometimes words cheapened the lofty thoughts they strove to describe. 

"So what should I be doing with them when I call the psyches forward?"  She returned to business and was granted a rare smile from her teacher.

"You've seen Cypher's mutation in action, yes?" he asked.

Rogue nodded remembering vividly the cushioned feeling of white noise that had surrounded her when using the other girl's powers. It was like she was open to every electronic signal floating around in the atmosphere.  Cypher's powers at their fullest were a rush beyond anything Rogue had ever felt.  "As far as I can guess your powers are similar, hers affecting technology and yours people." Bender smiled as a memory hit him, "They had to keep her locked up in a clean room until she learned to control it all-she knew the codes to every door and kept blowing things up accidentally.  Thankfully, Cypher learned to shut it all out until she wanted to access it."

"And that's how you think I'll control my powers?" Rogue asked quietly staring at her gloves with determination, "Alright, so I'll ask Asli just how she did it and…"

Bender lifted his hand to stop Rogue's out pouring, "I think we've done enough today Rogue.  That headache will throw your concentration."

"Alright," she gave the blonde a sly smile, "This better not be a ploy for you to see me more-I've already got one persistent Frenchman in my life-I don't need another one."

A laugh escaped his cherub lips before he could clamp down on it, "Désole Rogue-but you are not as they say my 'type'. I'm glad you noticed Monsieur Labeau I was afraid he might strain himself trying to gain your attention.  You have humbled a very attractive man."

"A person'd have to be blind not to notice the Swamp Rat preens a bit more when he gets near me," Rogue grinned glad to be able to talk about this with some one-she felt uncomfortable talking about the subject with Asli.  "I haven't decided if I'm gonna let him off the hook yet.  Its kinda fun watching him suffer."

Bender nodded enthusiastically, "It is.  Let's see what trouble they've all gotten into while we've hidden away."

Rising awkwardly on their sleepy feet, Rogue and Bender walked the pins and needles off as they searched the large complex that held Magneto's Acolytes. The common room was empty, as was the kitchen; there was no sign of life in Remy's room either.  As a last ditch effort they moved on towards the room that Rogue and Cypher shared, here three male voices could plainly be heard deep in discussion.  Rogue threw the door open-how many times did she have to tell Remy it wasn't his room? "Swamp Rat! What are ya'll doin in here?"

At least Nadim and Curtis had the nerve to look guilty at having been caught playing poker in the girl's room uninvited.  Remy was as unapologetic as ever, "Playing poker Chère.  You come to be Remy's good luck charm?"

"If she kills him can we just take the money and run?" Nadim was sitting across from Curtis-this speech earned him a kick from his leader, "Hey! That's the only way we're gonna come out of here with our cash man."

Bender closed his greyish blue eyes slowly and shook his head as if he could just block out all the foolishness around him, "Sometimes your lack of tact frightens me Cobra."

The snake-like boy grinned showing off his fangs as he tilted his chair back on two legs using his tail to balance, "It's the genetics my man, I wasn't made to be sympathetic.  That was your function."

Ignoring the potential fight Curtis lazily threw some more chips into the pot; pausing long enough to give Remy an evil look, "I call.  And we wouldn't be losing if you'd pay attention."

Remy and Curtis followed suit leaving the Cajun smirking as he collected the winnings for his full house.  Rogue frowned watching the easy interaction between the groups; was this so far from Xavier's dream of mutant co-operation? Shaking the thought away she began to pick up the debris that had been left from the wrestling match this morning. 

"You guys?" she asked folding Asli's towel on her way to the bathroom, "Has Asli come back yet?"

***************************

Sighing contently Asli snuggled deeper into the warmth of the blankets-every part of her body was too tired for any further movement.  A strong arm pulled Asli closer to the body beside her that was busily exuding the warmth she found so intoxicating. Normally she would have shrugged the arm away and gotten out of bed, dressing quickly before her partner could wake; but today that arm was the only thing keeping her riotous emotions at bay.  The only thing keeping her from rushing to Xavier's mansion and confessing everything to Pitor and then scratching Kitty Pryde's eyes out-and for that Asli was extremely grateful.

It took all of Asli's control not to jump when she felt a calloused finger gently tracing the scars on her back, but he noticed the stiffening of her spine, "Sorry.  Did I hurt you?" the concern in his voice touched Asli.

"No," she rolled over so that she could look him in the eye not bothering to cover her nudity-so far he hadn't cringed away from her body-others had before and he had gained her respect for keeping silent; "They don't hurt anymore.  I'm just not used to people touching them."

Lance nodded sagely and pulled her into another tight embrace causing the blankets to shift-it left Asli mostly uncovered, "When I see things like this…It makes me understand why Magneto and Mystique do what they do. The world outside Bayville is a scary place and not enough of us realize it."

Tracing her hands down his lightly muscled arms Asli brought them to rest at Lance's wrists-each had three diagonal scars running across them,  "You're too young to be that bitter."

His pragmatic brown eyes swept down the length of Asli's body before he wrapped the sheets back over them both, "We all have our battle scars/I'm learning to love mine. /They remind me of what is past /They tell me I will survive this time. /My very own road map /On the surface of my skin /A clear demarcation /Of where you end and I begin. /I wouldn't be me without them /Just a stranger with my face. /Each scar is an experience /That could never be replaced."

"I like that."

He shrugged, "I didn't write it, Rogue did. But for some reason I always remembered it."

They fell silent and dozed letting the mid-afternoon sunlight drift away content to lie together caught in their own memories.  Lance was the first to break the silence, "I don't love you."

Asli smiled up at him, "Good. I don't love you either."

"So where does that leave us?" he asked looking every inch of his eighteen years.

"I don't know," Asli answered him honestly, "I can't be your girlfriend."

Lance nodded slowly, "You still love Colossus and I still love Kitty-a relationship between us would be doomed."

Opening her mouth to shoot back her own smart reply Asli was cut off by the slamming of a door downstairs.  Todd's voice drifted up to the lovers as he hopped up the stairs, "Hey Lance? You here yo? Whose car is that outside? Did you steal it 'cause we kinda dinged it getting the jeep parked yo."

Before either Asli or Lance could react the door swung open and Todd began to hop inside, "Lance you got one of them headaches again man?"

It took him a few seconds to register that some of the clothes strewn everywhere were female, stricken Todd lifted his eyes to the bed where Lance was trying to preserve some of their modesty.  The froglike boy turned a brilliant shade of red when Asli waved to him, "Ugh, Cypher! What's up yo…no! I mean…bye."

Spinning Todd slammed the door closed; Asli began laughing heartily at the boy's obvious discomfort. "Well maybe that will teach him to knock."