Author's Note: Please forgive the liberty I took in defining "empathy." I felt it was necessary in developing the plot, and hopefully it's fairly believable. I realize that when defining the super powers of fictional comic heroes, it is vital to remain true to life. I hope everyone is enjoying this little adventure. Please review and let me know. As I write new chapters I constantly check to see if any new reviews have been posted. Slightly obsessive, I know, but it really helps to motivate my progress. The positive feedback I've gotten has been very encouraging, seeing as I look up to a lot of you folks. (Check out my profile: a lot of y'all are posted in my favorites). * tears come to my eyes * You's guys is my heroes!!!!! Thanks again ~ Vegas
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Chapter 7: "Empathy"
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"Jean?" She looked up from her book to see the green-eyed young woman who'd spoken her name. Rogue looked slightly apprehensive. She wrung her gloved hands nervously.
"What's the matter, sweetheart?" She set the book and started to stand, but Rogue stopped her.
"It ain't nothin' really." She sat next to Jean on the ornate garden bench. "It's jus' that ah was hopin' ta talk to ya 'bout somethin'."
"Sure, Rogue. What's going on?"
"Well, this may sound foolish," Rogue started, seemingly searching for the right words, "but ah was wond'ring if ya could explain what empathy is ta me. Not like the literal definition o' anythin'... but what it means to have empathy as part o' ya mutation."
Jean was a bit surprised by the question, but she answered it as best she could. "Okay. Having empathy as part of your powers means that you feel what other people feel. Not just sympathy, but actually experiencing their emotions as if it were happening to you."
"How is that diff'rent from ya powers?"
"Well, as a telepath I can read other people's thoughts and feelings, and since it's a mind to mind connection I can sympathize strongly with what they're feeling...but that's not the same as truly empathizing."
"How close d'ya have ta be ta someone for th' empathy thing ta work?"
"It's different for individual mutants. Some empaths work through touch, some when they look at someone. Some can even empathize with people who are miles away, but normally that only works if they have a particular connection with the person. Still I've heard of empaths who could do it all, with strangers, even if they only have a name." Rogue listened intently, furrowing her brow and gazing at a row of foxgloves thoughtfully. Curious, Jean asked, "Why do you want to know about all this?"
Rogue answered the question with another. "D'ya think Remy might be an empath?"
"I've had my suspicions, why?"
"Remy came ta mah room las' night, and ah knew he was comin' before he ev'n got there. Ev'n stranger, ah saw that nightmare he keeps havin' as if ah was havin' it mahself. But at th' same time, ah knew it was his dream, and not mine! Then when he got in th' bed with me, ah could feel all th' pain he was goin' through like ah was goin' through it too."
Jean's face showed her surprise. "Wow... I'm not really sure what to say." She knew Rogue was confused, and she was turning to Jean for a possible explanation. She thought for a moment and offered, "Maybe, if Gambit is an empath, you retained some of his power when you touched him."
"Ah thought o' that. It was th' only thing I could think of ta explain it. But mah powers don't usually work like that. Ah mean, once the person's awake ah lose their powers."
Jean frowned. "Well, I'm sorry to say, but that's the only hypothesis I can come up with right now. If you want, I can do a mind scan to try and figure out what's going on with you."
"Ya think it'll help?"
"Yeah, I think so. If I can get into that pretty little head of yours, I should be able to find out where this new ability is coming from."
Rogue smiled. "All right, then."
"Good. I'll get a hold of Hank and we'll do it in the med-lab so we can monitor your brain activity."
Rogue made a sour face as the two rose and headed toward the mansion. "Ugh. Ah hate th' med-lab."
Jean laughed and put an arm around her shoulder. "Don't let Hank hear you say that."
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"Hank, are y'all ready yet?" Rogue squirmed uncomfortably on the exam table. The electro-sensors he had her place on (seemingly) every inch of her body were starting to itch. "Are all these gizmos really necessary?"
Beast did not glance up from the monitor that was displaying all sorts of cryptic information about her internal doings. "Just a moment, my southern belle. I just want to have as much data as possible about what it is that you're experiencing." He raised a furry eyebrow in her direction. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that patience is a virtue all ladies should possess?"
Rogue, annoyed at the comment, muttered, "Who said ah was a lady?"
Jean sat next to her. She offered Rogue a sympathetic smile. Telepathically she gibed, * Be nice, Rogue. You know how Beast feels about his 'data', and I'm not sure if those sensors can shock. *
Rogue bit her lip to stifle a giggle. She suddenly had a mental image of the friendly, blue Dr. McCoy zapping his unruly patients into submission. Beast turned away from the screen smiling. "Ready whenever you are, ladies," he chimed.
"Finally!" sighed Rogue. "All right, sugah... Ah'm ready fo' ya."
Jean nodded and closed her eyes. A moment later they snapped open. "That's strange..." she muttered.
"What's the matter, Jean?" questioned a concerned Beast.
"No, nothing. I'm just having trouble getting into your mind, Rogue. Let's try it again. This time relax, and imagine you're opening a door for me to come through."
"Okay, honey. Whatever you say." Rogue laid back on the table and closed her eyes.
Once again Jean prepared to go inside Rogue's psyche. This time she stepped gently onto the astral plane of her mind. Rogue was standing there waiting for her. Jean took a look around. It was a dark and cluttered place, but not so distressed as she'd seen on previous visits. "I forget just how many people you've got running around in here," she said, commenting on the dozens of mumbling voices she could hear about her head.
"Ah, know," sighed Rogue, "but most o' us have come ta some form of an understandin'."
"I'm going to need you to help guide me as I look for Remy in here."
"Sure, darlin'. Ah'll do what ah can."
Jean sifted through the layers of personalities and fragmented memories until she came upon the shadow image of Gambit. He sat hugging his knees tightly, his head buried against them. "Remy?" she called softly.
He raised his head slightly to regard her. After a moment his face showed that he recognized her. "Jean. Ya gotta help me, chere."
Jean knelt beside him. "What is it, Remy? What's wrong?"
"You can't let her find out," he pleaded. "She'll hate me, Jean. You have ta help me. I... I couldn't live wit'out her."
Jean could only assume he was speaking of the terrible memories that Rogue had absorbed from him when they'd kissed. * So that's why Rogue couldn't pick out the specifics of the memories, * she realized. * This part of him has been trying to keep it from her. * Gambit was shaking a bit. Seeing him this way, this desperate, frightened her a little. She reminded herself that it wasn't really Gambit. It was only the pale residue of his mind that clung to Rogue's.
As if realizing that Jean was thinking of her, Rogue appeared and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "So this is where he stays, huh?" she said softly, regarding the sad image of her Cajun prince. "Remy, sugah?" He timidly met her gaze. "I forgive ya, baby."
Gambit looked up at her, but did not reply. Jean stood next to her friend. "You know it's not really him, Rogue?"
"Yeah, ah know." She didn't take her eyes off him. "But it feels good ta say it."
"I want to go in there and look around," she motioned to the image of Gambit, "but you'll have to help me."
Rogue turned her thoughts from the broken man before her, and gave her attention back to Jean. "What d'ya need me ta do?"
"Just take my hand."
"Well, that's easy enough." Rogue did as Jean asked, linking the two even closer together. Jean then placed her free hand on the pseudo-Gambit. Immediately a wave of strong emotion crashed over Rogue. The remnants of Gambit still held a part of his mind. He hated himself for all those things he'd done, she realized. When he'd told her that part of him wanted to die in Antarctica, he hadn't been lying. The shadow was full of pain and regret.
Gasping, both women opened their eyes. Though Jean had released her grip on the shadow, she still held tightly to Rogue's hand. She found they were both sitting on the ground. Rogue was covering her face. "Ah had no idea..." she rasped. Jean was also startled to learn that their smiling, charming friend held so much distress.
Rogue straightened herself up, and composed her expression. "What did ya find, Jean?"
Jean looked to the Cajun shadow, then back at Rogue's surprisingly calm demeanor. * I guess that's how you have to be when you have so many people, with so many problems, raising hell in your mind. * Jean now held more admiration for Rogue than she ever had. She was so resilient. So damn strong. Jean herself wasn't sure, that if put in a similar situation, she could maintain the same sanity Rogue had. "Well, it was hard to see through a lot of that stuff, but I'm sure that's where this empathy has come from. It seems you have retained some of his powers."
"How can that be? Mah powers shouldn't work that way."
"I don't know, Rogue, but somehow they're working that way now." Jean's face suddenly lit up with an idea.
"What?" Rogue was puzzled by her expression.
"I just realized something. Remy has the ability to somehow block his mind from any sort of psychic probe. That's why you had trouble sorting out those memories he left you with. That's why I had trouble entering your mind the first time I tried. You've retained that power as well!" Jean was practically bursting with excitement. Rogue, however, was still confused.
"So what?"
"So, that means it may be possible for me to use that ability and set up some walls. It means I could help block out all these other voices." Jean's voice grew soft as she took both of Rogue's hands in her own. "That means you could control your powers. You'd be able to turn the flow on and off like a faucet. It means you could touch people without absorbing them."
Rogue stared back at her, mouth slightly agape. Tears were beginning to give her eyes the appearance of glass. "Ya mean...?"
"Yes." Jean nodded, grinning from ear to ear.
"Ya really think we c'n do it?" she asked, not completely believing the words.
"I'm almost sure of it."
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Beast reviewed the symbols on the printout, with a perplexed look on his face. Though the information was fascinating, he wasn't sure he could decipher it. Jean had found the residue of Gambit's mind. The data confirmed that Rogue had indeed retained his powers of empathy, but he couldn't figure out what they were doing now. It seemed like Jean was setting up a psychic wall of sorts, but from where? And for what purpose?
Beast grumbled at the lack of scientific precision possible in these sorts of mental excursions. He made a mental note to put the task of perfecting the equipment that recorded them back at the top of his list.
Just as he was becoming truly frustrated and impatient, Jean opened her eyes. Rogue sat up and immediately began pulling the tiny sensors off. "Welcome back, ladies. I trust you had a pleasant journey?" he asked optimistically.
"We'll find out soon enough, darlin'," she said as she pulled off the last itchy wire.
Hank looked confused, and Jean hurried to explain, "Besides discovering that Rogue retained Gambit's empathy, we also found she has some of the psychic control that shields his mind. I was able to effectively block out any thoughts or memories that aren't her own. And..." Jean paused for emphasis, "I think we may have given her the ability to neutralize her powers."
"Oh my stars and garters! That is a quite unexpected, but welcome, development."
Hank smiled enthusiastically at a still skeptical southerner. "But we won't know fo' sure 'til we try."
His smile faded. "And how do you plan to test this hypothesis?"
"On me," offered Jean. "I have a strong mind. If this doesn't work, I should be able to hold on to my psyche long enough for Rogue to let go."
"That does seem to be the best route of action. Rogue, are you all right with this?" Hank knew that Rogue never wanted to hurt someone she cared about again. She was very defensive about her powers, and he wondered if she was willing to take the risk.
"Yeah... it's th' only way to know if what Jean did worked. Ah jus' don't wanna hurt her."
"It's well worth the risk." Jean smiled reassuringly and extended her hand towards Rogue. "Let's give it a try."
Rogue took a deep breath as she pulled off a glove. She hesitated for a moment, letting her bare flesh hover just above Jean's. She let her fingertips gently graze Jean's palm. Jean felt a slight tug at her mind. "Turn it off, Rogue, you're almost there."
Rogue pressed her lips together in concentration. She searched her mind for the walls Jean had helped her put in place. She pushed her mind against the barriers, struggling to fortify them against Jean's infringing presence. Suddenly it was as if something clicked. She no longer felt Jean's mind, just the touch of her skin.
She opened her eyes to find that Jean was crying. "It worked, Rogue."
Rogue stared at her bare hand. She was touching someone. Touching their skin! With her skin! Rogue felt the wave of joy and excitement rise up inside her. "Oh mah God! Jean!" She began to cry too. Jean stood and embraced her. She touched her hands, her face. Soon the two women were jumping up and down like schoolgirls.
"Oh, Rogue, this is... it's so..." Tears matted Hank's furry face. He wrapped her in a bear hug and lifted her off the ground. Setting her down, he kissed her forehead. Rogue closed her eyes. She was enveloped in a cloud of pure happiness. Happiness, she suddenly realized, wasn't completely her own.
"Jean?" Her face was suddenly masked in worry. "I can feel ya emotions when y'all touch me."
"That must be your empathy," she responded thoughtfully. "You can probably turn that off too if you wanted. You know I felt your emotions too when you touched me."
"I didn't feel anything," said Hank. "If I understand empathy properly, unless you'd blocked it, telepaths and the like should be able to pick up on your feelings when you touch, just as you pick up on theirs. Though of course the telepath is only sympathizing, not literally feeling what you do."
"But another empath would," Jean added suggestively. "So... who are you going to give the good news to first?"
"Actually, Ah'd prefer if y'all kept a lid on this. Jus' for awhile. It's a lot fo' me ta take in at once. And ah'd appreciate havin' a few days ta marinate in it without everybody knowin'."
"Of course, my dear."
"You're right, take as long as you need. Just let me know when you want to let the cat out of the bag so I can throw you a party or something."
Rogue had to laugh at the giddy expression on her friends' faces. Hopefully she wouldn't have to keep them waiting too long.
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Chapter 7: "Empathy"
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"Jean?" She looked up from her book to see the green-eyed young woman who'd spoken her name. Rogue looked slightly apprehensive. She wrung her gloved hands nervously.
"What's the matter, sweetheart?" She set the book and started to stand, but Rogue stopped her.
"It ain't nothin' really." She sat next to Jean on the ornate garden bench. "It's jus' that ah was hopin' ta talk to ya 'bout somethin'."
"Sure, Rogue. What's going on?"
"Well, this may sound foolish," Rogue started, seemingly searching for the right words, "but ah was wond'ring if ya could explain what empathy is ta me. Not like the literal definition o' anythin'... but what it means to have empathy as part o' ya mutation."
Jean was a bit surprised by the question, but she answered it as best she could. "Okay. Having empathy as part of your powers means that you feel what other people feel. Not just sympathy, but actually experiencing their emotions as if it were happening to you."
"How is that diff'rent from ya powers?"
"Well, as a telepath I can read other people's thoughts and feelings, and since it's a mind to mind connection I can sympathize strongly with what they're feeling...but that's not the same as truly empathizing."
"How close d'ya have ta be ta someone for th' empathy thing ta work?"
"It's different for individual mutants. Some empaths work through touch, some when they look at someone. Some can even empathize with people who are miles away, but normally that only works if they have a particular connection with the person. Still I've heard of empaths who could do it all, with strangers, even if they only have a name." Rogue listened intently, furrowing her brow and gazing at a row of foxgloves thoughtfully. Curious, Jean asked, "Why do you want to know about all this?"
Rogue answered the question with another. "D'ya think Remy might be an empath?"
"I've had my suspicions, why?"
"Remy came ta mah room las' night, and ah knew he was comin' before he ev'n got there. Ev'n stranger, ah saw that nightmare he keeps havin' as if ah was havin' it mahself. But at th' same time, ah knew it was his dream, and not mine! Then when he got in th' bed with me, ah could feel all th' pain he was goin' through like ah was goin' through it too."
Jean's face showed her surprise. "Wow... I'm not really sure what to say." She knew Rogue was confused, and she was turning to Jean for a possible explanation. She thought for a moment and offered, "Maybe, if Gambit is an empath, you retained some of his power when you touched him."
"Ah thought o' that. It was th' only thing I could think of ta explain it. But mah powers don't usually work like that. Ah mean, once the person's awake ah lose their powers."
Jean frowned. "Well, I'm sorry to say, but that's the only hypothesis I can come up with right now. If you want, I can do a mind scan to try and figure out what's going on with you."
"Ya think it'll help?"
"Yeah, I think so. If I can get into that pretty little head of yours, I should be able to find out where this new ability is coming from."
Rogue smiled. "All right, then."
"Good. I'll get a hold of Hank and we'll do it in the med-lab so we can monitor your brain activity."
Rogue made a sour face as the two rose and headed toward the mansion. "Ugh. Ah hate th' med-lab."
Jean laughed and put an arm around her shoulder. "Don't let Hank hear you say that."
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"Hank, are y'all ready yet?" Rogue squirmed uncomfortably on the exam table. The electro-sensors he had her place on (seemingly) every inch of her body were starting to itch. "Are all these gizmos really necessary?"
Beast did not glance up from the monitor that was displaying all sorts of cryptic information about her internal doings. "Just a moment, my southern belle. I just want to have as much data as possible about what it is that you're experiencing." He raised a furry eyebrow in her direction. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that patience is a virtue all ladies should possess?"
Rogue, annoyed at the comment, muttered, "Who said ah was a lady?"
Jean sat next to her. She offered Rogue a sympathetic smile. Telepathically she gibed, * Be nice, Rogue. You know how Beast feels about his 'data', and I'm not sure if those sensors can shock. *
Rogue bit her lip to stifle a giggle. She suddenly had a mental image of the friendly, blue Dr. McCoy zapping his unruly patients into submission. Beast turned away from the screen smiling. "Ready whenever you are, ladies," he chimed.
"Finally!" sighed Rogue. "All right, sugah... Ah'm ready fo' ya."
Jean nodded and closed her eyes. A moment later they snapped open. "That's strange..." she muttered.
"What's the matter, Jean?" questioned a concerned Beast.
"No, nothing. I'm just having trouble getting into your mind, Rogue. Let's try it again. This time relax, and imagine you're opening a door for me to come through."
"Okay, honey. Whatever you say." Rogue laid back on the table and closed her eyes.
Once again Jean prepared to go inside Rogue's psyche. This time she stepped gently onto the astral plane of her mind. Rogue was standing there waiting for her. Jean took a look around. It was a dark and cluttered place, but not so distressed as she'd seen on previous visits. "I forget just how many people you've got running around in here," she said, commenting on the dozens of mumbling voices she could hear about her head.
"Ah, know," sighed Rogue, "but most o' us have come ta some form of an understandin'."
"I'm going to need you to help guide me as I look for Remy in here."
"Sure, darlin'. Ah'll do what ah can."
Jean sifted through the layers of personalities and fragmented memories until she came upon the shadow image of Gambit. He sat hugging his knees tightly, his head buried against them. "Remy?" she called softly.
He raised his head slightly to regard her. After a moment his face showed that he recognized her. "Jean. Ya gotta help me, chere."
Jean knelt beside him. "What is it, Remy? What's wrong?"
"You can't let her find out," he pleaded. "She'll hate me, Jean. You have ta help me. I... I couldn't live wit'out her."
Jean could only assume he was speaking of the terrible memories that Rogue had absorbed from him when they'd kissed. * So that's why Rogue couldn't pick out the specifics of the memories, * she realized. * This part of him has been trying to keep it from her. * Gambit was shaking a bit. Seeing him this way, this desperate, frightened her a little. She reminded herself that it wasn't really Gambit. It was only the pale residue of his mind that clung to Rogue's.
As if realizing that Jean was thinking of her, Rogue appeared and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "So this is where he stays, huh?" she said softly, regarding the sad image of her Cajun prince. "Remy, sugah?" He timidly met her gaze. "I forgive ya, baby."
Gambit looked up at her, but did not reply. Jean stood next to her friend. "You know it's not really him, Rogue?"
"Yeah, ah know." She didn't take her eyes off him. "But it feels good ta say it."
"I want to go in there and look around," she motioned to the image of Gambit, "but you'll have to help me."
Rogue turned her thoughts from the broken man before her, and gave her attention back to Jean. "What d'ya need me ta do?"
"Just take my hand."
"Well, that's easy enough." Rogue did as Jean asked, linking the two even closer together. Jean then placed her free hand on the pseudo-Gambit. Immediately a wave of strong emotion crashed over Rogue. The remnants of Gambit still held a part of his mind. He hated himself for all those things he'd done, she realized. When he'd told her that part of him wanted to die in Antarctica, he hadn't been lying. The shadow was full of pain and regret.
Gasping, both women opened their eyes. Though Jean had released her grip on the shadow, she still held tightly to Rogue's hand. She found they were both sitting on the ground. Rogue was covering her face. "Ah had no idea..." she rasped. Jean was also startled to learn that their smiling, charming friend held so much distress.
Rogue straightened herself up, and composed her expression. "What did ya find, Jean?"
Jean looked to the Cajun shadow, then back at Rogue's surprisingly calm demeanor. * I guess that's how you have to be when you have so many people, with so many problems, raising hell in your mind. * Jean now held more admiration for Rogue than she ever had. She was so resilient. So damn strong. Jean herself wasn't sure, that if put in a similar situation, she could maintain the same sanity Rogue had. "Well, it was hard to see through a lot of that stuff, but I'm sure that's where this empathy has come from. It seems you have retained some of his powers."
"How can that be? Mah powers shouldn't work that way."
"I don't know, Rogue, but somehow they're working that way now." Jean's face suddenly lit up with an idea.
"What?" Rogue was puzzled by her expression.
"I just realized something. Remy has the ability to somehow block his mind from any sort of psychic probe. That's why you had trouble sorting out those memories he left you with. That's why I had trouble entering your mind the first time I tried. You've retained that power as well!" Jean was practically bursting with excitement. Rogue, however, was still confused.
"So what?"
"So, that means it may be possible for me to use that ability and set up some walls. It means I could help block out all these other voices." Jean's voice grew soft as she took both of Rogue's hands in her own. "That means you could control your powers. You'd be able to turn the flow on and off like a faucet. It means you could touch people without absorbing them."
Rogue stared back at her, mouth slightly agape. Tears were beginning to give her eyes the appearance of glass. "Ya mean...?"
"Yes." Jean nodded, grinning from ear to ear.
"Ya really think we c'n do it?" she asked, not completely believing the words.
"I'm almost sure of it."
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Beast reviewed the symbols on the printout, with a perplexed look on his face. Though the information was fascinating, he wasn't sure he could decipher it. Jean had found the residue of Gambit's mind. The data confirmed that Rogue had indeed retained his powers of empathy, but he couldn't figure out what they were doing now. It seemed like Jean was setting up a psychic wall of sorts, but from where? And for what purpose?
Beast grumbled at the lack of scientific precision possible in these sorts of mental excursions. He made a mental note to put the task of perfecting the equipment that recorded them back at the top of his list.
Just as he was becoming truly frustrated and impatient, Jean opened her eyes. Rogue sat up and immediately began pulling the tiny sensors off. "Welcome back, ladies. I trust you had a pleasant journey?" he asked optimistically.
"We'll find out soon enough, darlin'," she said as she pulled off the last itchy wire.
Hank looked confused, and Jean hurried to explain, "Besides discovering that Rogue retained Gambit's empathy, we also found she has some of the psychic control that shields his mind. I was able to effectively block out any thoughts or memories that aren't her own. And..." Jean paused for emphasis, "I think we may have given her the ability to neutralize her powers."
"Oh my stars and garters! That is a quite unexpected, but welcome, development."
Hank smiled enthusiastically at a still skeptical southerner. "But we won't know fo' sure 'til we try."
His smile faded. "And how do you plan to test this hypothesis?"
"On me," offered Jean. "I have a strong mind. If this doesn't work, I should be able to hold on to my psyche long enough for Rogue to let go."
"That does seem to be the best route of action. Rogue, are you all right with this?" Hank knew that Rogue never wanted to hurt someone she cared about again. She was very defensive about her powers, and he wondered if she was willing to take the risk.
"Yeah... it's th' only way to know if what Jean did worked. Ah jus' don't wanna hurt her."
"It's well worth the risk." Jean smiled reassuringly and extended her hand towards Rogue. "Let's give it a try."
Rogue took a deep breath as she pulled off a glove. She hesitated for a moment, letting her bare flesh hover just above Jean's. She let her fingertips gently graze Jean's palm. Jean felt a slight tug at her mind. "Turn it off, Rogue, you're almost there."
Rogue pressed her lips together in concentration. She searched her mind for the walls Jean had helped her put in place. She pushed her mind against the barriers, struggling to fortify them against Jean's infringing presence. Suddenly it was as if something clicked. She no longer felt Jean's mind, just the touch of her skin.
She opened her eyes to find that Jean was crying. "It worked, Rogue."
Rogue stared at her bare hand. She was touching someone. Touching their skin! With her skin! Rogue felt the wave of joy and excitement rise up inside her. "Oh mah God! Jean!" She began to cry too. Jean stood and embraced her. She touched her hands, her face. Soon the two women were jumping up and down like schoolgirls.
"Oh, Rogue, this is... it's so..." Tears matted Hank's furry face. He wrapped her in a bear hug and lifted her off the ground. Setting her down, he kissed her forehead. Rogue closed her eyes. She was enveloped in a cloud of pure happiness. Happiness, she suddenly realized, wasn't completely her own.
"Jean?" Her face was suddenly masked in worry. "I can feel ya emotions when y'all touch me."
"That must be your empathy," she responded thoughtfully. "You can probably turn that off too if you wanted. You know I felt your emotions too when you touched me."
"I didn't feel anything," said Hank. "If I understand empathy properly, unless you'd blocked it, telepaths and the like should be able to pick up on your feelings when you touch, just as you pick up on theirs. Though of course the telepath is only sympathizing, not literally feeling what you do."
"But another empath would," Jean added suggestively. "So... who are you going to give the good news to first?"
"Actually, Ah'd prefer if y'all kept a lid on this. Jus' for awhile. It's a lot fo' me ta take in at once. And ah'd appreciate havin' a few days ta marinate in it without everybody knowin'."
"Of course, my dear."
"You're right, take as long as you need. Just let me know when you want to let the cat out of the bag so I can throw you a party or something."
Rogue had to laugh at the giddy expression on her friends' faces. Hopefully she wouldn't have to keep them waiting too long.