Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the wonderful MARVEL and FOX
Summary: Rogue's returned home, but in what condition?
Homecoming
By Jules
Part 2
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dr. Jean Gray-Summers was peacefully sleeping with her husband when a summon by the professor in her mind woke her, asking her to come down to his office right away, and to wear a pair of gloves.
Jean could sense the importance of the matter in his tone and quickly pulled a robe on, plus a pair of gloves, which she kept in a box near her bed for just such emergencies.
Nevertheless, nothing could have prepared her for the sight that came upon her when she entered that office. The young girl whom they'd taken in, but had run off and been forced to fight for two years, unconscious in the lap of her mentor. She knew that Rogue had disappeared from all sights a year ago. Even Xavier's repeated searches with Cerebro had yielded no results. Everyone had assumed her dead, but there she was, looking much worse than she had when she'd first come to the school four years earlier.
Jean quickly picked her up, telekinetically, and the three went down to the labs.
Twenty minutes later, Jean made her diagnosis.
"Frankly, I don't know how she remained conscious as long as she did. She's suffering from extreme exhaustion, and obviously malnourishment. Looks as though she hasn't eaten in days, maybe weeks with these new powers of hers. What do you know of them?" She questioned
"Well, she came in flying. And she's much stronger than anyone I've ever seen. Her mind is exceptionally resistant to even light probing, so I can't tell you much more."
Jean nodded, signaling her understanding, "I think it would be best if we put her in a room upstairs, waking up in this environment would be sure to frighten her."
"I agree. Put her in the room next to Logan's."
Jean looked at him momentarily, "Why do you continue to call that Logan's room. He was here less than a week, and took off four years ago."
"Jean, I know you do not understand my reasons, but it shall remain open, for Logan, when he decides to come home. He had a lot more to sort out than you or Scott suspected. The new search he began was about more than finding his past. It was also about figuring out his future. The room remains Logan's, so that when he does return, he knows that he is welcome, and part of our family."
"I realize what you mean now, thank you for explaining." Jean told him, and finally, she did.
~*~
b** Three days later**b
The whole school was at a loss as to why they all had been required to be in the dinning room at 10 am, but at the prospect of getting out of classes, they all happily complied.
The X-Men stood in front of the student body, prepared for the worst as Scott made the announcement.
"Everybody, we have a very important announcement. We all know that you are very curious as to why the hall near Logan's room has been off limits for the past few days. Well, it's because a former student is now occupying the room next to it. Some of you may remember her, Rogue."
Murmurs and mumblings when throughout the crowd, finally Bobby had the strength to call out, "But-but, you told us, Iher friends/I, that you were almost certain she had died, last year."
"I thought she'd joined the Brotherhood." Another older student called out.
Jean stepped in, "I'm afraid we do not know the whole story as of yet, because she has not regained consciousness after having passed out due to some extenuating circumstances. We just wanted to inform you all that she was here, and make it known, that the hall near her room is off limits to everyone. It took a lot of courage for her to come back here. And all of us," she gestured towards the whole teaching staff, "will enforce all these rules. With sever punishments for all who do not abide by these guidelines. I want you all to just leave her alone, she's very fragile right now, and might be for a long time."
"Alright, that's everything. You may go back to class."
~*~
Rogue slowly became aware that she was in a bed, a real bed. It had been over a year since such a thing had happened. Sluggish, she opened her eyes, and what should she see, but a giant furry blue beast like thing standing next to her.
"Wonderful, you are awake!" The furry thing asked in a surprisingly cultured voice
"Uh, who are you?" Rogue questioned
"Oh yes, of course. I came after your time. I am Dr. Hank McCoy. Also known as Beast."
"Ah'm Rogue . . . um, where am Ah?" She asked desperately.
"Oh my stars. Do you not remember?"
"Unfortunately, the last few days . . . hell, the last month are a bit of a blur for me."
"You are at the mansion. You returned to Professor Xavier a few days ago, and I'm afraid you promptly passed out. Jean and I have been taking care of you since. And I must say, it has been an enlightening experience. How long had it been since you'd eaten?"
"Uhhh, probably about two tah three weeks or so." Rogue shrugged.
"Dear me! And since you'd slept?"
"Ah really don't remember, why?"
"How on earth did you manage to stay conscious as long as you did?"
"Ah often wondered that mahself." Rogue mussed, then got serious, "It's this invulnerability power Ah've got now. Basically, it keeps me alive, and un-hurt long after most would be dead."
"There's also the state of your DNA . . . it's most curious."
"You mean the integration of Kree metabolism? It's alien, if you didn't know."
"Would you please explain it to me? I'm sure the reason is most fascinating."
"No it ain't." Rogue hung her head, "Yah see, a little over a year ago, Mystique forced me tah absorb a young woman, named Carol Danvers. She was also known as Ms. Marvel." Tears spilled down her cheeks, "Ah didn't wanna do it. Honest. Mystique held mah hand down on her. Now she's in mah head, forever. Ah've got her powers, her mem'ries, everythin' that made her, her. She doesn't blame me though, when Ah sleep, she comforts me, assures me that it wasn't mah fault." Tears start to fall down her cheeks, "That Mystique forced me. But when Ah'm awake, Ah'm not so sure . . ." She began to sob.
"Oh you poor child! How long as these thoughts been plaguing you?"
"Since it happened." She finally admitted a few minutes later, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. Rogue leaned back against the pillows, her eyes growing heavy; all the crying had worn her out once more.
Hank noticed this, so he quietly left the room, to let her sleep.
The professor was waiting for him outside the room, "She's awoken." He stated knowingly.
"Yes, for a bit, and she talked to me. But I'm afraid she's already returned to sleep. She is still exhausted, both mentally and physically. And the psychological damage for these past three or four years, mayhap even longer . . . well, it's undetermined, but I expect it to be severs. The forced extreme and permanent transfer of a Ms. Marvel's powers and psyche took quite a toll on her. Plus she has spent the last year on the streets . . . . All in all, only time will tell what the long-term effects shall be for the poor girl. I just hope there is someone who can help her."
That someone was riding a motorcycle headed for the school, just a few hours away, completely unaware of the situation which awaited him back at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Summary: Rogue's returned home, but in what condition?
Homecoming
By Jules
Part 2
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dr. Jean Gray-Summers was peacefully sleeping with her husband when a summon by the professor in her mind woke her, asking her to come down to his office right away, and to wear a pair of gloves.
Jean could sense the importance of the matter in his tone and quickly pulled a robe on, plus a pair of gloves, which she kept in a box near her bed for just such emergencies.
Nevertheless, nothing could have prepared her for the sight that came upon her when she entered that office. The young girl whom they'd taken in, but had run off and been forced to fight for two years, unconscious in the lap of her mentor. She knew that Rogue had disappeared from all sights a year ago. Even Xavier's repeated searches with Cerebro had yielded no results. Everyone had assumed her dead, but there she was, looking much worse than she had when she'd first come to the school four years earlier.
Jean quickly picked her up, telekinetically, and the three went down to the labs.
Twenty minutes later, Jean made her diagnosis.
"Frankly, I don't know how she remained conscious as long as she did. She's suffering from extreme exhaustion, and obviously malnourishment. Looks as though she hasn't eaten in days, maybe weeks with these new powers of hers. What do you know of them?" She questioned
"Well, she came in flying. And she's much stronger than anyone I've ever seen. Her mind is exceptionally resistant to even light probing, so I can't tell you much more."
Jean nodded, signaling her understanding, "I think it would be best if we put her in a room upstairs, waking up in this environment would be sure to frighten her."
"I agree. Put her in the room next to Logan's."
Jean looked at him momentarily, "Why do you continue to call that Logan's room. He was here less than a week, and took off four years ago."
"Jean, I know you do not understand my reasons, but it shall remain open, for Logan, when he decides to come home. He had a lot more to sort out than you or Scott suspected. The new search he began was about more than finding his past. It was also about figuring out his future. The room remains Logan's, so that when he does return, he knows that he is welcome, and part of our family."
"I realize what you mean now, thank you for explaining." Jean told him, and finally, she did.
~*~
b** Three days later**b
The whole school was at a loss as to why they all had been required to be in the dinning room at 10 am, but at the prospect of getting out of classes, they all happily complied.
The X-Men stood in front of the student body, prepared for the worst as Scott made the announcement.
"Everybody, we have a very important announcement. We all know that you are very curious as to why the hall near Logan's room has been off limits for the past few days. Well, it's because a former student is now occupying the room next to it. Some of you may remember her, Rogue."
Murmurs and mumblings when throughout the crowd, finally Bobby had the strength to call out, "But-but, you told us, Iher friends/I, that you were almost certain she had died, last year."
"I thought she'd joined the Brotherhood." Another older student called out.
Jean stepped in, "I'm afraid we do not know the whole story as of yet, because she has not regained consciousness after having passed out due to some extenuating circumstances. We just wanted to inform you all that she was here, and make it known, that the hall near her room is off limits to everyone. It took a lot of courage for her to come back here. And all of us," she gestured towards the whole teaching staff, "will enforce all these rules. With sever punishments for all who do not abide by these guidelines. I want you all to just leave her alone, she's very fragile right now, and might be for a long time."
"Alright, that's everything. You may go back to class."
~*~
Rogue slowly became aware that she was in a bed, a real bed. It had been over a year since such a thing had happened. Sluggish, she opened her eyes, and what should she see, but a giant furry blue beast like thing standing next to her.
"Wonderful, you are awake!" The furry thing asked in a surprisingly cultured voice
"Uh, who are you?" Rogue questioned
"Oh yes, of course. I came after your time. I am Dr. Hank McCoy. Also known as Beast."
"Ah'm Rogue . . . um, where am Ah?" She asked desperately.
"Oh my stars. Do you not remember?"
"Unfortunately, the last few days . . . hell, the last month are a bit of a blur for me."
"You are at the mansion. You returned to Professor Xavier a few days ago, and I'm afraid you promptly passed out. Jean and I have been taking care of you since. And I must say, it has been an enlightening experience. How long had it been since you'd eaten?"
"Uhhh, probably about two tah three weeks or so." Rogue shrugged.
"Dear me! And since you'd slept?"
"Ah really don't remember, why?"
"How on earth did you manage to stay conscious as long as you did?"
"Ah often wondered that mahself." Rogue mussed, then got serious, "It's this invulnerability power Ah've got now. Basically, it keeps me alive, and un-hurt long after most would be dead."
"There's also the state of your DNA . . . it's most curious."
"You mean the integration of Kree metabolism? It's alien, if you didn't know."
"Would you please explain it to me? I'm sure the reason is most fascinating."
"No it ain't." Rogue hung her head, "Yah see, a little over a year ago, Mystique forced me tah absorb a young woman, named Carol Danvers. She was also known as Ms. Marvel." Tears spilled down her cheeks, "Ah didn't wanna do it. Honest. Mystique held mah hand down on her. Now she's in mah head, forever. Ah've got her powers, her mem'ries, everythin' that made her, her. She doesn't blame me though, when Ah sleep, she comforts me, assures me that it wasn't mah fault." Tears start to fall down her cheeks, "That Mystique forced me. But when Ah'm awake, Ah'm not so sure . . ." She began to sob.
"Oh you poor child! How long as these thoughts been plaguing you?"
"Since it happened." She finally admitted a few minutes later, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. Rogue leaned back against the pillows, her eyes growing heavy; all the crying had worn her out once more.
Hank noticed this, so he quietly left the room, to let her sleep.
The professor was waiting for him outside the room, "She's awoken." He stated knowingly.
"Yes, for a bit, and she talked to me. But I'm afraid she's already returned to sleep. She is still exhausted, both mentally and physically. And the psychological damage for these past three or four years, mayhap even longer . . . well, it's undetermined, but I expect it to be severs. The forced extreme and permanent transfer of a Ms. Marvel's powers and psyche took quite a toll on her. Plus she has spent the last year on the streets . . . . All in all, only time will tell what the long-term effects shall be for the poor girl. I just hope there is someone who can help her."
That someone was riding a motorcycle headed for the school, just a few hours away, completely unaware of the situation which awaited him back at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
