My Heart in Your Hands
by Princess of Monkeys
Chapter 23
Sorry you're only getting two chapters tonight. I have most of them written out in my notebook, but I can only type so many chapters up at once. And I know this one ends kind of abruptly, but I had to cut it off, or it was going to be way too long. Two shorter chapters is way better- especially because I don't think many of you are Scott and Jean fans, since Romy fans generally don't seem to like Jean much. So, for people who don't like Scott and Jean, you're only getting small doses.
When Rogue finally finished with the van, after giving it an exhaustive wash and even waxing it for good measure, it was after 1:00. Slapping together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, she ate it as she wandered the Institute, searching for Ororo. She finally stumbled into the library and found the weather goddess unloading a box of books.
"Oh, Rogue, there you are. Logan said you would be showing up eventually," Ororo said in her even, melodious voice.
"Here Ah am, reportin' for duty as ordered," Rogue quipped, and behind her, she could hear Kurt snickering. He came to stand beside her, draping a furry arm casually over her shoulders, and she pushed it off good naturedly.
"Good. You and Kurt will be installing socket covers and doorknobs on the third floor. Evan and Kitty, you're with me in the garden, and Jean will finish up in here." She handed Rogue and Kurt several packages of screws, a couple of screwdrivers, and pointed towards the boxes outside in the hallway.
Kitty and Evan followed Ororo out, and Kurt began porting the boxes up to the third floor. Rogue took a look around the library, surprised by how many shelves were already full, and followed them outside, picking up a few of the boxes and wandering down to the elevator to transport them upstairs the old fashioned way.
By the time she made it upstairs, Kurt was standing there waiting, tapping his foot impatiently. "Geeze, make me wait all day," he teased her, and she just gave him one of her looks. She tossed him a screwdriver and a packet of screws, which disappeared into a pocket of his pants, and they got started.
"Who woulda evah thought a house would need so many doorknobs an' socket covers?" Rogue wondered out loud as she screwed a socket cover into place.
"Ja, I never thought about how many rooms this place must have- probably hundreds! Just think, maybe ve'll all get to have our own rooms now, since herr Professor changed the floor plans a bit."
"Ah'm jus' happy he had 'em put in stalls an' multiple showers in the bathrooms. Now it won't have to take forevah ta get ready for school in the mornings."
They moved on to another room, and Kurt changed the subject entirely. "You vent out to meet your Acolyte last night, didn't you?"
Rogue just turned around to look at him, mouth open in shock. Recovering quickly, she tried to feign nonchalance. "He ain' mah Acolyte. "Sides, what gives ya that idea, fur ball?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that you never dress that nicely for anyone, and you vere hardly vearing makeup. I might be foreign, but I am not stupid, you know."
"Ah nevah said ya were, but Ah still don' think it's any of yoah business." She turned away from him, trying to concentrate on attaching a doorknob.
"Rogue, I'm not going to go running to tell herr Logan. I am just vorried about you." Kurt said pleadingly.
"Kurt, we a'ready had this conversation. Remember? At school yesterday?"
"Ja, but that vas before you stayed out until 3:30 vith him!"
She turned back to him, doorknob forgotten, suddenly upset. "How d' you know 'bout that? Is mah business all ovah the Institute now?"
"Nien, but I vas leaving the bathroom vhen herr Logan voke you up this morning. I heard vhat he said to you."
"Oh. Yah, Ah was out with 'im last night. Satisfied?" She crossed her arms over her chest, giving him one of the looks that usually cowed everybody else into silence. But this time it didn't work- his anxieties gave him the strength to stand up to her. "Nien, I am not satisfied. Vhy do you put yourself in danger? Vhy is it so important to you to go and see him, even though it is such a bad idea?"
Unknowingly, Kurt was asking her questions that she had asked herself- and been unable to answer. _How do I tell him that being with Remy makes me feel happy? How can I make him understand when I don't even understand it myself?_ "Ah don' know, Kurt. But Ah told ya already that he ain' gonna hurt me; Ah can tell ya a thousand times, but ya ain' gonna believe me, are ya?"
He sighed. "You have no vay of knowing vhat Magneto could be planning, Rogue. You are no telepath, to see inside someone's head and know vhat they are planning to do. He still vorks for our enemy, no matter vhat he says to you."
She couldn't stand his doubt anymore, and she blurted out "Look, he touched me, a'right? Ah don' have ta be a telepath ta pick up on somebody's thoughts- all Ah have ta do is touch 'em. Ah saw what was in his head- trust me- he'd no more hurt me than you would." Seeing the look on Kurt's face, knowing that the wheels were spinning in his mind, she realized that she'd said too much. In a desperate plea, she prayed to every deity she could think of _Please don't let him ask me the question I know he wants to ask! _ But just like all of her other prayers over the years, it went unheeded.
"Mien gott, Rogue, do you like this Acolyte?" He just stared at her, wanting an answer, spaded tail swishing back and forth in agitation.
"His name is Remy," Rogue gritted out, more bothered than she wanted to admit by Kurt's continued refusal to use Remy's name. It was almost like Kurt didn't want to see him as anything but he enemy- like the blue furry mutant was trying to deliberately deny someone else the humanity a name confers.
"Fine, vhatever. Do you like him?" It somehow was really important for Kurt to know the answer to his question.
"Yes! No! Ah don't know!" Rogue cried, exasperated. Kurt turned away, a look of disgust marring his usually placid features. "Why is it such a big deal anyways?" Rogue asked, exasperation giving way to confusion.
"Did you learn nothing from Kitty? They're all on Magneto's side for a reason, Rogue- because they're evil! So how anyone could ever like one of them is beyond me!"
_When did he become so judgmental? The Kurt I know never judges anyone!_ "What is yoah problem? First of all, leave her out of this. Second, Lance might be kind of an ass, an' not be much good as a boyfriend, but he ain' evil. People jus' do what they have ta sometimes, an' they jus' end up on the wrong side. An' since when did ya get so judgmental anyhow?"
"Vhen all of my closest friends started making such bad choices!" He fired back.
"Look, Ah don' wanna fight with ya! Ya asked me a question, an' Ah told ya the truth, an' Ah'm sorry if ya can't deal with it, but ya can't change it! This is mah life, an' if Ah want ta hang around with Remy, then Ah will. He ain' evil, he jus' made a lot 'a mistakes, includin' workin' for Magneto!" Then, quieter, the thought coming to her in a sudden flash, she said "Not everyone who's on his side is evil jus' 'cause yoah mother is."
At that, Kurt visibly deflated, turning away and looking out a window. "Ja," was all he said, and Rogue felt bad for coming down so hard on him. "Look, Ah'm sorry-" she began, but Kurt cut her off.
"Nien, you are right. If ve vant them to ever realize that they are on the wrong side, then judging them is not a good idea. How can I be on the side of peace if I have var in my heart?" Picking up his screwdriver, he went back to work in silence, a thoughtful look on his face. Oddly shaken by his words, Rogue too went back to work. Neither one spoke again for some time.
Several hours later, Kurt's usually cheerful demeanor had returned, and Rogue had pushed the argument to the back of her mind. They had finished installing everything in all of the boxes of fixtures, and they carried the empty boxes back downstairs, because Kurt was too tired to teleport. Joining the rest o the students in the kitchen, Rogue and Kurt helped themselves to some snack food, settled themselves at the table, and took part in a spirited complaint fest about how their Saturday had been wasted. Eventually they all grew tired of sitting around the table, and they all moved into the rec room, debating which movies to watch. Jamie settled in an overstuffed chair, completely engrossed in his Game Boy. Amara had disappeared with the phone, no doubt to call Tabby and gossip for four hours- for the life of her, Rogue couldn't understand their friendship. Amara was a princess, and Tabby was practically a street urchin- but they were the closest of friends. _Strange._ Kurt and Evan were playing a spirited game of foosball, and Kitty was cheering them on, while Bobby called dibs on the next game. Ray and Roberto were arguing over something, and at this point, Sam seemed to be the only one who still wanted to watch a movie.
Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream came from the only person who was missing. "Jean!" Kitty cried, worried. Jean wasn't a screamer. Before anyone else could move, she had phased herself through the ceiling, heading towards the library where they had left the red head.
A few minutes later, she was back. "It was nothing- she was just having a nightmare or something." Shrugging, the rest of the kids went back to their previous pursuits.
Up in the library, Jean was explaining her nightmare to the Professor, who was doing his best to reassure her that Scott was perfectly fine. Jean hadn't meant to fall asleep- but she had had three tests in the past week, which meant she'd stayed up late to study, and then had to go in early to take the tests, so she'd gotten very little sleep all week. She'd been replacing books on the shelves when a particularly interesting volume on mutant genetics had caught her eye, and she had sat down on the couch, intent on checking it out. The next thing she knew, she was screaming herself awake.
"Jean, Scott is out of range even for Cerebro. There is no way you could be telepathically tapping into an experience he is having- he is simply too far away. I'm sure he's fine- he'll probably call in a few hours from the airport." Jean nodded, but in her heart, she knew the Professor was wrong. She couldn't explain it, but she just knew Scott was in trouble. The two of them had been unusually close ever since the night her powers had gone out of control, and sometimes she swore he was almost able to read her thoughts, even though he wasn't a telepath, but she'd thought their psychic link had long since broken. But what if she was wrong- what if she was really seeing what was happening to Scott because they were still linked?
In a sudden flurry of motion, she ran from the room, intent on finding her planner, and Alex's number. She would call his family- if they corroborated Alex's story, then she would be able to believe the Professor. But if not.... they had to find a way to save Scott!
A few minutes later, Jean ran back into the Professor's study. "Professor, whoever it is that called Scott from Mexico, it wasn't Alex. Alex never left Hawaii!" The Professor nodded, already telepathically contacting the senior X-Men team. Within minutes the team arrived, and after a quick briefing about the situation, they suited up and were ready to go within record time.
by Princess of Monkeys
Chapter 23
Sorry you're only getting two chapters tonight. I have most of them written out in my notebook, but I can only type so many chapters up at once. And I know this one ends kind of abruptly, but I had to cut it off, or it was going to be way too long. Two shorter chapters is way better- especially because I don't think many of you are Scott and Jean fans, since Romy fans generally don't seem to like Jean much. So, for people who don't like Scott and Jean, you're only getting small doses.
When Rogue finally finished with the van, after giving it an exhaustive wash and even waxing it for good measure, it was after 1:00. Slapping together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, she ate it as she wandered the Institute, searching for Ororo. She finally stumbled into the library and found the weather goddess unloading a box of books.
"Oh, Rogue, there you are. Logan said you would be showing up eventually," Ororo said in her even, melodious voice.
"Here Ah am, reportin' for duty as ordered," Rogue quipped, and behind her, she could hear Kurt snickering. He came to stand beside her, draping a furry arm casually over her shoulders, and she pushed it off good naturedly.
"Good. You and Kurt will be installing socket covers and doorknobs on the third floor. Evan and Kitty, you're with me in the garden, and Jean will finish up in here." She handed Rogue and Kurt several packages of screws, a couple of screwdrivers, and pointed towards the boxes outside in the hallway.
Kitty and Evan followed Ororo out, and Kurt began porting the boxes up to the third floor. Rogue took a look around the library, surprised by how many shelves were already full, and followed them outside, picking up a few of the boxes and wandering down to the elevator to transport them upstairs the old fashioned way.
By the time she made it upstairs, Kurt was standing there waiting, tapping his foot impatiently. "Geeze, make me wait all day," he teased her, and she just gave him one of her looks. She tossed him a screwdriver and a packet of screws, which disappeared into a pocket of his pants, and they got started.
"Who woulda evah thought a house would need so many doorknobs an' socket covers?" Rogue wondered out loud as she screwed a socket cover into place.
"Ja, I never thought about how many rooms this place must have- probably hundreds! Just think, maybe ve'll all get to have our own rooms now, since herr Professor changed the floor plans a bit."
"Ah'm jus' happy he had 'em put in stalls an' multiple showers in the bathrooms. Now it won't have to take forevah ta get ready for school in the mornings."
They moved on to another room, and Kurt changed the subject entirely. "You vent out to meet your Acolyte last night, didn't you?"
Rogue just turned around to look at him, mouth open in shock. Recovering quickly, she tried to feign nonchalance. "He ain' mah Acolyte. "Sides, what gives ya that idea, fur ball?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that you never dress that nicely for anyone, and you vere hardly vearing makeup. I might be foreign, but I am not stupid, you know."
"Ah nevah said ya were, but Ah still don' think it's any of yoah business." She turned away from him, trying to concentrate on attaching a doorknob.
"Rogue, I'm not going to go running to tell herr Logan. I am just vorried about you." Kurt said pleadingly.
"Kurt, we a'ready had this conversation. Remember? At school yesterday?"
"Ja, but that vas before you stayed out until 3:30 vith him!"
She turned back to him, doorknob forgotten, suddenly upset. "How d' you know 'bout that? Is mah business all ovah the Institute now?"
"Nien, but I vas leaving the bathroom vhen herr Logan voke you up this morning. I heard vhat he said to you."
"Oh. Yah, Ah was out with 'im last night. Satisfied?" She crossed her arms over her chest, giving him one of the looks that usually cowed everybody else into silence. But this time it didn't work- his anxieties gave him the strength to stand up to her. "Nien, I am not satisfied. Vhy do you put yourself in danger? Vhy is it so important to you to go and see him, even though it is such a bad idea?"
Unknowingly, Kurt was asking her questions that she had asked herself- and been unable to answer. _How do I tell him that being with Remy makes me feel happy? How can I make him understand when I don't even understand it myself?_ "Ah don' know, Kurt. But Ah told ya already that he ain' gonna hurt me; Ah can tell ya a thousand times, but ya ain' gonna believe me, are ya?"
He sighed. "You have no vay of knowing vhat Magneto could be planning, Rogue. You are no telepath, to see inside someone's head and know vhat they are planning to do. He still vorks for our enemy, no matter vhat he says to you."
She couldn't stand his doubt anymore, and she blurted out "Look, he touched me, a'right? Ah don' have ta be a telepath ta pick up on somebody's thoughts- all Ah have ta do is touch 'em. Ah saw what was in his head- trust me- he'd no more hurt me than you would." Seeing the look on Kurt's face, knowing that the wheels were spinning in his mind, she realized that she'd said too much. In a desperate plea, she prayed to every deity she could think of _Please don't let him ask me the question I know he wants to ask! _ But just like all of her other prayers over the years, it went unheeded.
"Mien gott, Rogue, do you like this Acolyte?" He just stared at her, wanting an answer, spaded tail swishing back and forth in agitation.
"His name is Remy," Rogue gritted out, more bothered than she wanted to admit by Kurt's continued refusal to use Remy's name. It was almost like Kurt didn't want to see him as anything but he enemy- like the blue furry mutant was trying to deliberately deny someone else the humanity a name confers.
"Fine, vhatever. Do you like him?" It somehow was really important for Kurt to know the answer to his question.
"Yes! No! Ah don't know!" Rogue cried, exasperated. Kurt turned away, a look of disgust marring his usually placid features. "Why is it such a big deal anyways?" Rogue asked, exasperation giving way to confusion.
"Did you learn nothing from Kitty? They're all on Magneto's side for a reason, Rogue- because they're evil! So how anyone could ever like one of them is beyond me!"
_When did he become so judgmental? The Kurt I know never judges anyone!_ "What is yoah problem? First of all, leave her out of this. Second, Lance might be kind of an ass, an' not be much good as a boyfriend, but he ain' evil. People jus' do what they have ta sometimes, an' they jus' end up on the wrong side. An' since when did ya get so judgmental anyhow?"
"Vhen all of my closest friends started making such bad choices!" He fired back.
"Look, Ah don' wanna fight with ya! Ya asked me a question, an' Ah told ya the truth, an' Ah'm sorry if ya can't deal with it, but ya can't change it! This is mah life, an' if Ah want ta hang around with Remy, then Ah will. He ain' evil, he jus' made a lot 'a mistakes, includin' workin' for Magneto!" Then, quieter, the thought coming to her in a sudden flash, she said "Not everyone who's on his side is evil jus' 'cause yoah mother is."
At that, Kurt visibly deflated, turning away and looking out a window. "Ja," was all he said, and Rogue felt bad for coming down so hard on him. "Look, Ah'm sorry-" she began, but Kurt cut her off.
"Nien, you are right. If ve vant them to ever realize that they are on the wrong side, then judging them is not a good idea. How can I be on the side of peace if I have var in my heart?" Picking up his screwdriver, he went back to work in silence, a thoughtful look on his face. Oddly shaken by his words, Rogue too went back to work. Neither one spoke again for some time.
Several hours later, Kurt's usually cheerful demeanor had returned, and Rogue had pushed the argument to the back of her mind. They had finished installing everything in all of the boxes of fixtures, and they carried the empty boxes back downstairs, because Kurt was too tired to teleport. Joining the rest o the students in the kitchen, Rogue and Kurt helped themselves to some snack food, settled themselves at the table, and took part in a spirited complaint fest about how their Saturday had been wasted. Eventually they all grew tired of sitting around the table, and they all moved into the rec room, debating which movies to watch. Jamie settled in an overstuffed chair, completely engrossed in his Game Boy. Amara had disappeared with the phone, no doubt to call Tabby and gossip for four hours- for the life of her, Rogue couldn't understand their friendship. Amara was a princess, and Tabby was practically a street urchin- but they were the closest of friends. _Strange._ Kurt and Evan were playing a spirited game of foosball, and Kitty was cheering them on, while Bobby called dibs on the next game. Ray and Roberto were arguing over something, and at this point, Sam seemed to be the only one who still wanted to watch a movie.
Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream came from the only person who was missing. "Jean!" Kitty cried, worried. Jean wasn't a screamer. Before anyone else could move, she had phased herself through the ceiling, heading towards the library where they had left the red head.
A few minutes later, she was back. "It was nothing- she was just having a nightmare or something." Shrugging, the rest of the kids went back to their previous pursuits.
Up in the library, Jean was explaining her nightmare to the Professor, who was doing his best to reassure her that Scott was perfectly fine. Jean hadn't meant to fall asleep- but she had had three tests in the past week, which meant she'd stayed up late to study, and then had to go in early to take the tests, so she'd gotten very little sleep all week. She'd been replacing books on the shelves when a particularly interesting volume on mutant genetics had caught her eye, and she had sat down on the couch, intent on checking it out. The next thing she knew, she was screaming herself awake.
"Jean, Scott is out of range even for Cerebro. There is no way you could be telepathically tapping into an experience he is having- he is simply too far away. I'm sure he's fine- he'll probably call in a few hours from the airport." Jean nodded, but in her heart, she knew the Professor was wrong. She couldn't explain it, but she just knew Scott was in trouble. The two of them had been unusually close ever since the night her powers had gone out of control, and sometimes she swore he was almost able to read her thoughts, even though he wasn't a telepath, but she'd thought their psychic link had long since broken. But what if she was wrong- what if she was really seeing what was happening to Scott because they were still linked?
In a sudden flurry of motion, she ran from the room, intent on finding her planner, and Alex's number. She would call his family- if they corroborated Alex's story, then she would be able to believe the Professor. But if not.... they had to find a way to save Scott!
A few minutes later, Jean ran back into the Professor's study. "Professor, whoever it is that called Scott from Mexico, it wasn't Alex. Alex never left Hawaii!" The Professor nodded, already telepathically contacting the senior X-Men team. Within minutes the team arrived, and after a quick briefing about the situation, they suited up and were ready to go within record time.