Chapter 16, "I'll Stand By You"
By: RogueBHS
A/N: After the so-far well recieved Chapter 15, "Thicker Than Blood," I have to out-do myself again. This is the FINAL chapter of the Rogue/Scott part of my soon to be arc, Looking Through Your Eyes. I hope you enjoy this, and look for the NEW Part 2 of LTYE titled "I'll Be" within the next 7 days. The new story is gonna cover Rogue and Storm's sister/sister, mother/daughter, friend/friend relationship. BYE!
Rogue looked up from the book she was reading when there was a knock on her door. Curious, she got up and answered it rather than calling for whoever it might be to enter. Seeing Scott, she smiled and leaned against the doorjam. "Ya need somethin' Scott?"
He nodded. "You got a second?"
Rogue laughed. "For you? Ah got two seconds."
When Rogue motioned for him to come in, he shook his head. "There's something downstairs I want you to see."
Rogue pinned him with a curious look, but moved into the hallway and closed the door behind her. When he led the way, she followed, wondering what on earth could be so important he would be dragging her downstairs. Scott walked through the living room and kitchen into the garage, causing a puzzled frown to cross Rogue's face before he turned around. Grabbing a bandana from his back pocket, he motioned for her to turn around. Still curious, she did so, and finally spoke up when he put the bandana over her eyes as a sort of blindfold. "Ok Scott, what's goin' on heah?"
She heard Scott's laugh as he turned her around and started leading her out of the garage to the driveway. Rogue's heightened sense of smell picked up that all of the other X-men were standing out there as well. Curious, she turned her head from side to side, trying to figure out why on earth she was out there. Seconds later, Scott untied the blindfold. "Happy birthday, Rogue."
Rogue gasped. There in front of her was the motorcycle she had seen, and wanted oh so badly months ago when Scott had needed a new part for his bike. She hadn't dared as for it considering the price-tag. Looking up at Scott with a huge smile, she threw her arms around him in a joyous hug that he returned. Pulling back, she looked at the bike again. It was a masterpiece, and totally Rogue in the paint-job. Rather than the typical colored flames, this had green flames and white lightning decorating it. Glancing at it, she realized it had the same modifications as Scott's and Logan's bikes. Grinning, she followed Scott's motion and got on the bike.
Bobby encouraged her to start it up, so she did. The engine purred in readiness, and she caught Logan's look of mock-jealousy at how well it ran and looked. Smiling, she looked at Scott. "Wanna take a ride?"
Scott laughed and got on behind her, not bothering with a helmet. When Rogue let the bike go, it took off down the driveway. The others had never had the chance to see Rogue drive the motorcycles three of the men owned, and watched in amazement as she handled it with the same fluid grace she had when flying.
Scott talked to Rogue telepathically, asking how she liked the bike and laughing at her response of "AH LOVE IT!" Rogue drove the bike around for a good half hour or more, going off-road a few times, loving the way the bike could move. When she reentered the School's grounds, she was laughing and her face was flushed from the sheer enjoyment of the ride.
The other X-men had come back outside when Logan heard the engine getting closer to the mansion, and Ororo smiled at Rogue as she got off the bike. "I take it you enjoyed the ride, Rogue?"
Rogue nodded. "Ah might sell mah car..." She laughed. "Mah mustang don' have th' ride that thang does."
Bobby immeadiately perked up. "Can I have it?!"
Rogue rolled her eyes. "In yo' dreams, Bobby. Ah ain't really gonna sell it."
Bobby pouted, then sighed. "There goes that idea."
Laughing the X-men started going back inside one by one until it was just Rogue and Scott standing outside.
Rogue's laughter died and she smiled genuinely at Scott. "Ah really appreciate th' bike, Scott. But why?"
"The professor and everyone else agreed you deserved it. I simply gave them the idea when I overheard Ororo and Remy were trying to figure out what to do for your birthday this year."
Rogue hugged Scott again, then when she pulled back, kissed her fingertips before placing them against Scott's cheek. "Thanks, sugah. Ah imagine you're th' one who added th' extras t' it?"
He nodded. "Guilty as charged." Scott smiled. Both of them started inside, their pace unhurried. Glancing at her, he noticed the slightly saddened face Rogue now sported. Stopping short of the door, he put his hand on her arm. "Rogue?" When she looked up at him, he was a little shocked to see the beginnings of tears there. "What's wrong?"
Sighing, Rogue wiped at the tears that threatened to fall. "Its nothin."
Scott shook his head, not buying it. "Sorry Rogue, I'm not accepting that as a response. Come on. Talk to me."
Rogue looked around, then back to him. She surprised him when she used Kurt's teleporting ability to teleport them both straight to her room. Immeadiately she plopped down on her bed, leaving Scott to sit where he chose. He chose to sit beside her on her bed, and he drew her close with an arm around her shoulders. Once he had her closer, she gave in and laid her head against his shoulder.
Speaking softly, Rogue told him something none of the others knew. "Before Ah joined th' X-men...before Ah was even with Mystique...Ah had a family. Or part o' one anyway. Ah had a lil' sistah. Gawd, she looked a lot lahke meh. Two exceptions. Her bangs were black instead o' white, and her eyes were pure blue." Rogue took a deep breath. "When Mystique found meh, she found mah sistah too. But Ari, damn. She didn't wanna work for someone who she considahed part o' th' bad guys, and Mystique fit in that class. Ari did th' work anyway t' stay close t' meh, but she made it clear t' Mystique that she didn' lahke it. One naght when we were doin' a job for Mystique, Ari got caught. Mystique promised meh we'd get her outta there, an' Ah believed her. Mystique had nevah lied t' meh when it came t' mah sistah, and Ah knew she wouldn't lie then. Or atleast that's what Ah thought. Weeks passed an' we nevah went back aftah Ari, no mattah how much Ah pleaded with Irene or Mystique."
Rogue brushed away more tears that had formed while she spoke, her eyes never looking up to Scott's face. "Seven weeks and 2 days aftah Ari had been captured, Mystique tol' meh that she had gone back aftah Ari, only t' find her dead. Ah cried so hard then. That was th' last time Ah evah let Mystique hold meh though. Ah went int' missions with Mystique with a cold heart from then on. Mah sistah was dead, an' Ah'd die mahself before Ah let it happen t' anyone else Ah loved." Rogue finally looked up into the sympathetic visage of her best friend and the man she considered her brother.
Scott said no words, just drew her a bit closer, holding her as the tears for her sister started to fall again years later. Pressing a light kiss to the top of her head, he finally whispered to her. "Believe me Rogue, I know the pain. I thought I had lost Alex after that plane crash. It was bad enough that I had lost my parents, but I had promised them I would take care of Alex. He was gone, and there was no way for me to fullfill my promise to my parents. But rather than becoming cold-hearted like you say you did, I withdrew from everyone, sunk into depression." Shaking his head, he sighed. "The pain never did go away. Still hasn't either. I let my parents down when I didn't search for Alex after I had gotten better."
Rogue looked up at Scott, then smiled weakly. "We're a pair, aren't we?"
Scott laughed softly then nodded as he met her eyes through his glasses. "Yep. The fearless leader and the Mississippi Marauder. Couldn't be more different..."
Rogue smiled genuinely. "...Or more alike."
Scott looked at her seriously. "Why did you tell me about your sister, Rogue?"
With a slight gulp, she answered. "That gal Jean had th' accident with a few months ago... That was Ari, Scott. That was mah baby sistah."
Scott's eyes went wide behind the shades and he looked at Rogue. "And you never told anyone?"
Rogue shook her head. "Ari an' Ah kinda kept in touch secretly since then, gettin' reaquainted an' what not. Ah wanna tell th' prof about her tonight, but Ah wanted t' tell you first."
Scott smiled again and hugged her lightly. "Alright. One question."
Before he could even ask it and without reading his mind, she grinned. "Yes, she's a mutant. She's kinda lahke Pyro, except she c'n make th' fire too."
Scott laughed. "Bobby's exact opposite."
Rogue nodded. "Yep." Her grin turned a bit devilish and Scott became wary. "Ah noticed ya were kinda checkin' her out when we picked Jean up that day. Anythin' ya wanna tell meh about?"
Scott shrugged. "So she's good looking like her older sister..." He laughed at the not-so- gentle nudge Rogue gave him. "If I knew her personality at all I could give you an answer, but for now? All I know is she is extremely good looking, and I did mean it when I said 'like her older sister.'"
Rogue smiled. "Well, jus' so ya know, she asked meh who, and Ah quote "that hot guy in the cool shades" was."
Scott laughed and moved out of Rogue's reach before he responded. "Ah. So now I've got both sisters under my spell. Remy's going to go nuts."
Rogue's eyes narrowed and she grabbed a pillow, throwing it at him with a bit of telekenetic force added. Scott stumbled back a step, laughing. "Undah yo' spell am Ah?" Her own laugh joined his. "That'll be th' day!"
Scott smiled and picked her up off of her bed, tossing her over his shoulder, surprising her. "Come on. There's more for you're birthday, including cake. I don't think the others are going to leave it alone for too much longer."
At the word cake he had Rogue's attention. "Cake?"
Laughing, he nodded as he put her down at the top of the stairs so she could walk down them herself. "Yes. Vanilla cake with peach icing. I believe there's also a couple of fresh cartons of ice cream in the freezer..."
Rogue's green eyes took on a hopeful gleam as she slid down the banister of the stairs, her ability to fly turned off to make the ride last longer. "Peaches and Cream ice cream?"
Scott scratched his chin, grinning. "I think that may be in there."
The second he said that Rogue was off the banister and flying towards the kitchen only to be stopped when Psylocke caught her with her telekenesis. "Not so fast, Rogue."
Rogue lowered herself to the ground when Psylocke let go. "Why not?"
Professor Xavier smiled at Rogue as his chair floated foward. "Because there's one last gift we have for you."
Rogue tilted her head, wondering what on earth it could possibly be. Her ears perked up at a meowing sound, but she couldn't find its source or location.
The X-men parted down the middle, giving Rogue a view of a cardboard box sitting on one of the couches. Curious as before, Rogue moved towards it, finally realizing that's where the sound came from. When she peered over the edge of the box, what she saw had Rogue gasping softly, tears forming again in her eyes.
In the box was the cutest kitten Rogue had ever laid eyes on. Its fur was patches of brown, white, and black, and when the kitten looked up at her, Rogue could see that its eyes had a blue-green tint to them. Rogue pealed off her gloves without a second thought, and picked up the kitten in her bare hands, relishing the feel of the soft fur against her skin. Thankful her power only worked on humans or mutants, Rogue stroked the kitten between its ears earning her a soft meow.
Eyes still on the verge of tears, Rogue turned back to the others. "Thank you...so much."
Jean spoke, her voice lacking the venom it had contained for close to a year now when she had spoken to Rogue or Scott. "We thought your family was lacking something, and a pet was the thing we came up with. You've got more brothers and sisters here than you could possibly want. But now, you've got a complete family. Pet and all."
Rogue smiled at Jean, then let her gaze and smile grace every last of the X-men. "Ah've seen th' world through ya'lls eyes before, an' Ah know not all o' ya'll an' Ah are close...But Jean's raght. Ah've got more siblin's heah than ANYONE could want, but Ah love it." Her eyes fell to the Professor. "Thank you most of all, Professah. If you hadn't started this place...Ah don' even wanna know what mah life coulda been lahke."
Everyone agreed with her, but it was Scott who put an arm around her shoulders. "Well, as any pesky brother would do, I say we abandon the gifts and go pig out on that cake and ice cream."
Everyone laughed, and Rogue shook her head. "Ah ain't leavin' this cute little thang heah bah itself, so you're just gonna have t' share yo' ice cream Scott."
Scott made a face and looked down at the kitten. "Sometimes being the pesky brother really has its downfalls."
Rogue smiled. "Get used to it sugah, or pick a new brotherly role. Cause Ah ain't goin' nowhere."
A/N: That's it folks. As I said, "I'll Be," Part 2 of the Looking Through Your Eyes Arc should be out SOON. Hope you like it as much as you have this!
