Disclaimer - All characters are Marvel's.




***

The sun never came out. Clouds, thick and stubborn, had blown in during the night, leaving the morning sky white and ambiguous. Rogue checked her watch. 1:04 PM. The afternoon classes at Bayville High were just beginning.
"Ah wonder what they think 'bout me not bein' there," she murmured. With a heavy sigh she leaned her forehead against the window, glad for the fact that the Professor had not chosen to contact her telepathically.
The train had filled up as the hours passed. When Rogue first boarded at 5:00 AM, there were only four other passengers. Now the train was more than half full, brimming with conversation and mild activity. To her chagrin, Rogue even had a seat mate, a skinny young man, maybe eighteen-years-old, who kept trying to flirt.
The young man turned to her and grinned. "Ah'm on mah way back to Nawrlins [author's translation - New Orleans]. Just spent two wayks [weeks] in New Yahk City. Where ya off to?"
Rogue glanced at him briefly. "Uh...Ah'm goin' to New Orleans, too."
"Seriously? What are th' odds?" He brushed the auburn hair out of his eyes. "So, what'd ya say yar name was?" He scratched his chin.
She stared at him.

Flashback...

Whenever he was with people he used to know, he covered his chin with his hand as nonchalantly as possible. It was only when they were alone, and sometimes with Irene, that he brought his hand down. So Rogue knew what he was hiding; she saw the scar.
They sat together on the front porch swing, the heat intense despite the dark. During the months he was gone, he'd grown taller, sturdier. The gap in size between them was wider; she was still just a skinny little girl, twelve-years-old, and he was fifteen, almost a man. Emotionally, though, the closeness remained, and the silence between them was comfortable.
He was the one who broke the quiet. "Ah go back in a couple days."
Rogue turned to him, horrified. "No, not already! Ya just got back home!"
He shrugged. "Back up north ah go, ah guess. Back to mah father." He rubbed the scar on his chin absently, his eyes darkening. "Ah hate him, Mar."
"He ain't a good person, is he?"
"Damn straight he ain't. You're lucky yer not related to him." The reticence returned for a moment before he continued. "You ever heard of mutants, Mara?"
She blinked. "Ya mean, those people with two heads an' stuff?"
He laughed softly. "Kinda."
"But they don't really exist."
His eyes widened substantially. "But they do, Mar, ah swear!" He paused. "Mah father's a mutant. So's our mother."
"Mother's a...mutant?" She couldn't explain the confusion she felt.
"Sure. Ah mean, you don't know her as well as I do. She looks...different. She always looks different, one way or the other. An' my...well, he's big. Strong. Scary. Ah think ah was sent to him 'cause ah'm not one, like they can bully powers out of me or something." He gripped the arm of the porch swing. "Mutants don't necessarily have two heads, but they're different, not normal. Not like you an' me."
"Ah didn't know," Rogue whispered, looking down at her hands.
"There's a lot you don't know, Mara. Hell, did you even know 'bout our brother?"
"What?!" Her head jerked up.
"Our brother. Ah remember...ah was three. One morning ah woke up and Irene told me Mother'd had her babies, an' that it wouldn't be long till they came to live with us. She was in Europe or somewhere then an' couldn't be bothered to take care of her kids. But a couple months later, it was only you who came home. I don't even think he was ever mentioned again. Maybe he died...ah don't know."
"Did...did he have a name?"
He squinted, thinking. "Michael," he said finally. "Mara and Michael. You were born first."
Suddenly she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Ah'm gonna talk to Irene for ya. Maybe she'll talk to Mother and let ya stay here."
"Ah still hate her, little sister. Takin' me back won't make up for what she made me go through."
"Better to hate her here, where it's safe." She grinned wryly. "After all, we can't let some dumb mutants screw ya up, right?"
"You're right about that, little sister." He laughed again and ruffled her hair. "You're such a Rogue."

"Gurl? Hey gurl! Ah sayd, what's yar name?" The young man looked at her strangely.
She sat straight up. "Oh! Uh, ah'm, um..."
Slowly, the train glided to a halt. Rogue glanced out the window and read the name on the station wall - Richmond, VA.
"Jeez! This is where ah change trains!" She got up and started to move towards the exit.
"Change trains? But ah thought ya sayd ya was goin' ta Nawrlins!"
"Ah lied. Sorry 'bout that. Bye."
"Oh. Well," he called as she ducked out the door. "If yer ever really in Nawrlins, make sure ta look me up - Remy LeBeau!"

***

Author's Note - I know Marie is Rogue's usual 'real' name, but I HATE it. I mean, it's okay, but I've been thinking up better names for her since I was ten. In my opinion, Mara fits her personality better, is prettier, and is more unusual. The name Michael comes from an issue of "What If...?" where that really WAS his name. (It shouldn't take you too long to figure out who the twin is!) As for Remy's cameo...it wasn't planned, but it was fun. He won't be back though. I'm way too big on Rogue/Pietro and Rogue/Warren for that!