17 years and 58 seconds
Chapter 6
Morning at Mutant High. I opened my eyes and sighed. I was back where I was supposed to be.
I showered and dressed quickly, my mind racing with questions I'd have to answer *and* ask today. When I finished dressing I noticed what I'd put on: jeans,a white shirt and Siren's black jacket. I shook my head with a smile and left the room to find the others. Siren was inside me, I couldn't deny it. I'd have to learn to accept her personal touches.
Walking down the hallways, the old memories flooded over me. The despair and loneliness I'd felt was almost tangible to me. But that was then, I told myself, and I'm not the same person anymore. I passed a couple of students and smiled at them. I can do this. I know I can do this.
I found the Professor with Jean as they were examining Siren intently.
"Good morning." I said, trying to be upbeat. "How is she today?"
"The same, I'm afraid. No change. However, there is some hope. I've been able to see into her a little."
"Really?" Control yourself, Rogue, I told myself. Don't get your hopes up. "What can I do to help?"
"You could start by telling us what happened. Where have you been, Rogue?" The Professor was sincere and concerned. I had to trust him and hope he'd still trust me after learning where I'd been.
We took a walk around the campus and I talked as freely as I could. I told him how unhappy I'd been, how desperate the situation had seemed. I told him about Mystique and the Brotherhood and all that had happened to me.
We stopped at a bench and watched the students relax on a beautiful summer day. I waited quietly, anxious to hear his side ....
"Scott found your letters that morning. He immediately brought them to me. I read the one to me and then ... I read the others."
I looked away and fought the flush of humiliation that raced up my face. Tears stung my eyes and I bit my lip as I imagined the Professor reading my letter to Logan.
"I'm sorry, Rogue. I didn't mean to break your trust, but we were desperate to find you. I thought there might be a clue in your other letters." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Of course there wasn't. We immediately searched the campus and the surrounding area and even used Cerebro, but we had no luck. We couldn't find you anywhere."
"How long did you look?"
"Three days." I nodded, understanding. Cerebro had been unable to find me while I was unconscious. It was as though I was dead.
"When we couldn't find you, we had to assume that you had succeeded in ..... We had a memorial for you. It was quite lovely. Your parents came." By now the tears were coming quickly. "I gave them your letter and your personal affects." I nodded and wiped the tears from my face. "They love you very much, Marie."
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.
"Did ...Did Logan ..."
"Yes, he came back. When we realized you were gone, we used Cerebro to find him. We found him in Siberia and sent our plane for him."
"But ... he didn't stay?"
"By the time he arrived, we were having the memorial. He gave a very nice speech, you know."
I smiled, trying to imagine him in a suit, giving a speech about me.
"He said you were ... 'a beautiful star that would be missed by everyone'."
"You're lying, Professor. He didn't say that."
"He did! He was very eloquent that day. Very moving."
"Did he get the letter?"
"Yes. I gave it to him as soon as the plane landed. He read the letter and left for a few hours. The next day was the memorial. He left immediately after that."
I frowned at the realization of the pain I'd caused. I'd hurt my parents and Logan. I'd have to set things right - right away.
That night, I left to see my parents. I fly at night because it's less conspicuous. Some people still get spooked seeing someone flying through the air. Consequently, when I arrived at my parents house, it was nearly 10pm. I landed on the sidewalk and tried to calmly walk up to the door. But my fear and nervousness were getting the better of me. How do you tell parents that their only child isn't dead.
I raised my hand to knock but stopped. I was about to turn away when I looked through the front window. There was my mother watching tv. But she was crying quietly.
My heart broke at the sight of my mother crying. I knocked on the door and then stepped into the shadows. Slowly my mom opened the door, but she saw no one there.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
"Ma'am? I have some news about your daughter." I stayed in the shadows and spoke quietly.
"Marie? She's dead. Please don't-"
"No. No she's not."
"What? I don't know who you are, but please don't do this. My daughter is - "
I walked out from the shadows slowly. Her face went from pained despair, to complete disbelief.
"Marie? Is that really you?"
"Yes, mama, it's me." Without warning she flew at me and gathered me into her arms. Thankfully I was completely covered so she was in no danger as she embraced me. The smell of vanilla hit my nose and I started to cry. "I'm sorry, mama. I'm sorry."
"Roger! ROGER!" She called my father's name and I watched as he rounded a corner and saw me in my mother's arms.
"Marie? Marie?" He embraced us both, my mother and myself. The tears flowed without reservation as we held each other tightly.
I spent the rest of the night explaining what had happened. They listened carefully, trying to understand how my life had changed. I swore I'd talk to them soon and eventually left. Not before my parents, however, told me how much they loved me and made me promise I'd never forget that.
As I returned to the school, my heart was lighter and my spirit calmer. My parents loved me and didn't hate me for my mutation. Life was good.
When I got to my room, there was a note on my bed. It contained a time and a city name. The city was in Canada. The Professor had found Logan's last known location.
Logan, at long last. I couldn't wait.
I packed a backpack, put on a heavier coat and headed off in search of my future.
Chapter 6
Morning at Mutant High. I opened my eyes and sighed. I was back where I was supposed to be.
I showered and dressed quickly, my mind racing with questions I'd have to answer *and* ask today. When I finished dressing I noticed what I'd put on: jeans,a white shirt and Siren's black jacket. I shook my head with a smile and left the room to find the others. Siren was inside me, I couldn't deny it. I'd have to learn to accept her personal touches.
Walking down the hallways, the old memories flooded over me. The despair and loneliness I'd felt was almost tangible to me. But that was then, I told myself, and I'm not the same person anymore. I passed a couple of students and smiled at them. I can do this. I know I can do this.
I found the Professor with Jean as they were examining Siren intently.
"Good morning." I said, trying to be upbeat. "How is she today?"
"The same, I'm afraid. No change. However, there is some hope. I've been able to see into her a little."
"Really?" Control yourself, Rogue, I told myself. Don't get your hopes up. "What can I do to help?"
"You could start by telling us what happened. Where have you been, Rogue?" The Professor was sincere and concerned. I had to trust him and hope he'd still trust me after learning where I'd been.
We took a walk around the campus and I talked as freely as I could. I told him how unhappy I'd been, how desperate the situation had seemed. I told him about Mystique and the Brotherhood and all that had happened to me.
We stopped at a bench and watched the students relax on a beautiful summer day. I waited quietly, anxious to hear his side ....
"Scott found your letters that morning. He immediately brought them to me. I read the one to me and then ... I read the others."
I looked away and fought the flush of humiliation that raced up my face. Tears stung my eyes and I bit my lip as I imagined the Professor reading my letter to Logan.
"I'm sorry, Rogue. I didn't mean to break your trust, but we were desperate to find you. I thought there might be a clue in your other letters." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Of course there wasn't. We immediately searched the campus and the surrounding area and even used Cerebro, but we had no luck. We couldn't find you anywhere."
"How long did you look?"
"Three days." I nodded, understanding. Cerebro had been unable to find me while I was unconscious. It was as though I was dead.
"When we couldn't find you, we had to assume that you had succeeded in ..... We had a memorial for you. It was quite lovely. Your parents came." By now the tears were coming quickly. "I gave them your letter and your personal affects." I nodded and wiped the tears from my face. "They love you very much, Marie."
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.
"Did ...Did Logan ..."
"Yes, he came back. When we realized you were gone, we used Cerebro to find him. We found him in Siberia and sent our plane for him."
"But ... he didn't stay?"
"By the time he arrived, we were having the memorial. He gave a very nice speech, you know."
I smiled, trying to imagine him in a suit, giving a speech about me.
"He said you were ... 'a beautiful star that would be missed by everyone'."
"You're lying, Professor. He didn't say that."
"He did! He was very eloquent that day. Very moving."
"Did he get the letter?"
"Yes. I gave it to him as soon as the plane landed. He read the letter and left for a few hours. The next day was the memorial. He left immediately after that."
I frowned at the realization of the pain I'd caused. I'd hurt my parents and Logan. I'd have to set things right - right away.
That night, I left to see my parents. I fly at night because it's less conspicuous. Some people still get spooked seeing someone flying through the air. Consequently, when I arrived at my parents house, it was nearly 10pm. I landed on the sidewalk and tried to calmly walk up to the door. But my fear and nervousness were getting the better of me. How do you tell parents that their only child isn't dead.
I raised my hand to knock but stopped. I was about to turn away when I looked through the front window. There was my mother watching tv. But she was crying quietly.
My heart broke at the sight of my mother crying. I knocked on the door and then stepped into the shadows. Slowly my mom opened the door, but she saw no one there.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
"Ma'am? I have some news about your daughter." I stayed in the shadows and spoke quietly.
"Marie? She's dead. Please don't-"
"No. No she's not."
"What? I don't know who you are, but please don't do this. My daughter is - "
I walked out from the shadows slowly. Her face went from pained despair, to complete disbelief.
"Marie? Is that really you?"
"Yes, mama, it's me." Without warning she flew at me and gathered me into her arms. Thankfully I was completely covered so she was in no danger as she embraced me. The smell of vanilla hit my nose and I started to cry. "I'm sorry, mama. I'm sorry."
"Roger! ROGER!" She called my father's name and I watched as he rounded a corner and saw me in my mother's arms.
"Marie? Marie?" He embraced us both, my mother and myself. The tears flowed without reservation as we held each other tightly.
I spent the rest of the night explaining what had happened. They listened carefully, trying to understand how my life had changed. I swore I'd talk to them soon and eventually left. Not before my parents, however, told me how much they loved me and made me promise I'd never forget that.
As I returned to the school, my heart was lighter and my spirit calmer. My parents loved me and didn't hate me for my mutation. Life was good.
When I got to my room, there was a note on my bed. It contained a time and a city name. The city was in Canada. The Professor had found Logan's last known location.
Logan, at long last. I couldn't wait.
I packed a backpack, put on a heavier coat and headed off in search of my future.